Journalist • neurodiversity consultant • helped make
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
on BBC Two • often on TV, radio, online • average autistic LGBT
@Boro
fan ⚽️🤣
I was a total mess last night. Watching
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
was just the most emotional thing.
I was in a room and maybe even a world of understanding.
Your messages about OUR show, which is now YOURS too, have been quite incredible.
Roll on episode two. It’s a cracker!
It was a total honour to work on this.
The BBC confirmed today that episode one of
@ChrisGPackham
's all-new Inside Our Autistic Minds will air on TUESDAY 14 FEBRUARY.
9pm. BBC Two. It's going to be something special. And a bit emotional.
Read more:
It’s sad that
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
is now fading into the distance. The to-do list can be deleted…
Change is tough. But I know new opportunities will fill the void and I just need to remember this quote:
“Don’t be sad it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
🥹
The reaction to
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
has been BANANAS.
I am working on some other projects, again showcasing autistic experiences, and to be following in Chris's footsteps on screen is rather surreal too.
Of course, I'll be posting all content right here.
#watchthisspace
In 2008, I dreamed of reporting on TV… on a boat it would seem.
In the winter of 2022, my dreams came true.
This is the story of how I became a rare autistic TV reporter. 🤗
Here’s behind the scenes on
@ChrisGPackham
’s
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
.
It was, undoubtedly, my best experience working in TV and, being autistic myself, a total honour to help represent our community.
Enjoy the ups and downs everyone!
9pm.
@BBCTwo
.
@BBCiPlayer
.
Oh dear. Christine McGuinness’ “Unmasking My Autism” documentary airs Wednesday.
Despite advice from myself and
@Autism
,
@BBCOne
and
@optomen
have opted to use language portraying the idea that autism is something you have.
A step backwards after
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
.
🤢
We’re just days away from Inside Our Autistic Minds on
@BBCTwo
.
Today, the team and I did a panel event and Q&A with BBC Enigma, the BBC’s neurodiversity group.
I can’t believe we’re at the finish line…
Who is on an NHS waiting list to be diagnosed as autistic or as having ADHD?
I'm helping produce
@bbc5live
's
#NHS75
year anniversary coverage.
Get in touch. I'm interested as to some of the waiting times...
#ActuallyAutistic
#ADHD
While I have autistic Twitter’s attention, I’m doing a new project for
@BBCSport
about being autistic and enjoying/taking part/accessing football.
In the UK and interested in potentially taking part? DM me! Particularly keen to break more stereotypes! ⚡️
#actuallyautistic
@lozible
@BGT
@antanddec
I know people think TV is ‘fake’ and ‘edited’ and working in the business, it is to some degree.
However, integrity is EVERYTHING and ‘being in on it’ would just never happen. There are rules that prevent such acts of cheating. 🙄
OPINION: I’ve talked to the
@guardian
about how critical language is to changing the narrative around autistic people.
I cringe when I hear ‘my autism’. Has anyone actually seen autism walking down the street?
Read more:
Who would have thought it?
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
is award winning.
That said, we didn’t include much science! 😂
Showcasing autistic people and experiences is much more beneficial than getting caught up in a medicalised approach.
Inspired by
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
, I wanted to explore life being selectively mute.
Here's a bit of my piece from
@BBCRadioManc
this morning which sees selective mute students finally be heard.
There's more on
@BBCSounds
from around 7.24am....
Yesterday I picked up a
@SalfordUni
alumni achievement award.
Today, I filed my first report for
@SkySportsNews
.
Tomorrow, you’ll hear me on the telly.
This is for all autistic and neurodivergent people who want to showcase their talent but society doesn’t allow them.
🤘🏼
In 2008, I dreamed of reporting on TV… on a boat it would seem.
In the winter of 2022, my dreams came true.
This is the story of how I became a rare autistic TV reporter. 🤗
Well done to
@ChrisGPackham
for winning the Presenter award for Inside Our Autistic Minds. The jury was delighted with his ability to bring “charisma and directness to this programme – they were captivating”
#RTSAwards
Have you been denied an autism/ADHD assessment in York due to this new policy? The team and I at
@5_News
are exploring this and are keen to hear from you.
As always, your story would be sensitively told by an autistic journalist. 👋🏼
#AccessDeniedND
#journorequest
I’m not saying this just ‘cause Jack has worked with
@bbcbitesize
but...
I’ve genuinely never seen a YouTuber bring such insight and humour to a young audience.
It’s mind blowing how much is packed into this. 🤯
🚨 There's still time to apply to appear in
@ChrisGPackham
's new documentary on autism.
🙏🏿 We're really lacking in applications from men 40+ from ethnic minorities so please share so we can represent all autistic people.
➡️ Apply here:
Why does it matter? Research of autistic people suggests a preference to talk about ‘being autistic’ rather than ‘having autism’.
The latter promotes the idea that the ‘condition’ isn’t part of the person.
I’m absolutely stunned by this.
Well
@SkySportsNews
and
@skysportsdavid
have made one new reporter’s dreams come true.
Being autistic and LGBT, I know the odds are often stacked against us but the media want to give us a voice.
This is our time. 🙌🏼
I’m starting a new BBC project looking for two people who have strong views about the word/condition ‘Asperger’s’.
Is it unsuitable after psychiatrist Hans Asperger’s links to Nazism were discovered?
Or is it a fundamental part of your identity?
DM me!
At 11.45 on
@BBCRadioManc
and
@BBCSounds
, an autistic NHS nurse talks to me about life being autistic on the ward.
She agreed to talk to me anonymously to protect her identity. It’s quite a powerful bit of radio.
👀
🧠 I'm writing an article about neurodiversity and life online. I need your help.
> Non-autistic parents of autistic children, do you get grief from autistic people online?
> Autistic people, do you feel that neurotypical parents get too much say?
Respond or DM.
🚨 So I popped up on
@SkySportsNews
this afternoon 🔥
My first live on Sky, I was speaking ahead of Sheffield United’s news conference 🎤
I don’t think there’ll ever be a feeling quite matched by standing in front of thousands of viewers shaking like a leaf! 😂🍃
#SUFC
Thanks for all your messages regarding my project around the term 'Asperger's'. I'm working through them!
I've also been commissioned by another broadcaster to look into issues faced by autistic people from ethnic minorities, mainly Pakistani and Indian communities.
(1/2)
I'm currently lining up content for a number of broadcasters for
#NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek
.
Sport, non-sport, whatever you're up to that week, get in touch!
I'm keen to hear the success stories... and the barriers that exist for YOU.
DM or email nick
@nickransom
.co.uk.
Today, I’m off to
@Official_STFC
to front a community feature for
@ITVSport
.
I’ll also be delivering my first piece to camera as a reporter!
Catch me on ITV4 from 9pm and ITV1 from 11.45pm.
I am (still) awaiting an autism assessment. Starting to try to explain how my brain works to others is frustrating and overwhelming. The fact that my mum and dad have both sat down to watch
#insideourautisticminds
means the world. 🥺
Well yesterday I spoke at the
@sheffdocfest
with some similar faces from
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
.
We did consider singing Beyoncé instead of chatting but it was so nice to see
@joemyerscough
(series producer) again and also Flo (contributor).
(1/2)
TUESDAY. 9PM. BBC TWO.
Fellow autistic
@Boro
fan
@AntonSedgeman1
(essentially my double) opens up about challenges with change.
You may have seen in the pre-titles we filmed at the
@RiversideStad
. Anton and I were in absolute heaven.
What a club. 👏🏼
#InsideOurAutisticMinds
🚨 This is another shoutout for autistic football fans / players over 18+ for a BBC feature I'm working on.
Our last plan fell through so we're on the hunt again... do get in touch!
➡️ DM me!
I’m sat on the Tube feeling a little emotional see my latest article go out.
I know so many neurodivergent people in sport will resonate with so much with what
@GregHalford15
says.
Autistic football fans have more representation than ever. 💙💛
#NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek
It was only towards the end of his career that Greg Halford found there may be a deeper reason for his reluctance to mix with team-mates - his autistic diagnosis.
So I'm working on a SEN/neurodiversity forum with the
@BBC
.
Is your teenager struggling with school absences? Are you fighting for a diagnosis? Maybe adjustments aren't being upheld?
We're looking for folk to quiz our SEN/neurodivergent expert for advice.
Get in touch below!
Every autistic experience is different.
It's critical diverse stories are told respectfully, sensitively and in an empowering way.
It's been a real pleasure to help
@sanderton00
tell her story for
@BBCNews
.
Have a read!
@KeryR26
@Autism
@BBCOne
@optomen
Well yes, but when you’re broadcasting on this scale, you have to realise you’re representing the autistic community.
It creates an unfair image of what the majority of autistic community want to portray.
There's still time to sign up to our BBC Sport HQ, Salford open day for deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent talent in media.
Join us and learn more about the inclusive and supportive environment at the heart of
#BBCSport
.
Sign up at:
#LifeAtTheBBC
It was a pleasure to host Neurodiverse Sport’s first ever panel discussion last night.
We had a Premier League footballer and former British tennis number one talking about being neurodivergent! 🫨
Sport is on the verge of real change and I’m so excited for the future.
My first news piece has aired!
I went to speak to
@autismvoice1
and
@iqradraws
about the additional barriers autistic children from marginalised communities face…
Representation ✅ Awareness ✅
Respect ✅
Getting a diagnosis and support for an autistic child can be challenging. A new report by
@UoBautism
has found it’s even harder for families from ethnic minority communities and poorer backgrounds.
@MrNickRansom
reports on the issue.
@primevideosport
@MarineAFC
@SpursOfficial
What an irresponsible tweet. I’m as big a football fan as the next person, but people seem to have forgotten we’re in a pandemic and this is just endorsing it!
Near the top of the
@BBCSport
front page today, my catch up with
@bennytweets_
, cricketer for Birmingham Phoenix.
How can
#ADHD
, at times, be a positive?
It’s my first write up for the
@BBC
as a ‘neurodiversity journalist’. 👀
Who feels the
@PremierLeague
should scrap the 3pm blackout rule and/or show more games on TV?
Get in touch.
@bbc5live
Breakfast are exploring illegal streaming tomorrow morning...
#journorequest
Just like every autistic person, every person who works for the BBC is different.
It’s so important we don’t generalise and paint the whole BBC with the same brush.
I am determined to make ‘Inside the Autistic Mind’ as representative as possible and do our community proud.
In 2023, some football fans still have it tough in the stands.
The reason? They’re disabled.
Read my article for the
@guardian
here.
(A big thanks to
@lpftweets
for their support on this one!)
Flo has since become an incredible ambassador for autistic women and it’s always surreal going out and seeing the impact the show’s had.
It will never leave me. I would certainly not have my career as a journalist and neurodiversity consultant without this programme. ❤️
(2/2)
🚨PREVIEW 🚨
With three days to go, the BBC have posted the pre-titles of Inside Our Autistic Minds on the programme page.
The wait is almost over…
9pm. Tuesday.
@BBCTwo
.
So we all sobbed through Inside Our Autistic Minds right?
Well done to
@ChrisGPackham
,
@MrNickRansom
and all involved! Especially to Flo and Murray for sharing their stories 💕
Watch my interview with Nick - assistant producer below!
I was back on
@ITVSport
's
@EFL
highlights show last night visiting
@BFCCT_
's school housed in
@BlackpoolFC
's stadium.
It was so uplifting to see young people requiring alternate provision thriving.
Watch the feature back here...
@EFLTrust
@IMG
Great to host a masterclass audience with the Autistic crew of 'Inside our Autistic Minds' today here at Television Centre. Just in time for the docuseries to premier on BBC2 at 9pm tonight, don't miss it!
Despite the criticism it gets, the BBC is the most incredible place to work for many different people.
It is accessible, creative and is a place full of people trying to represent everyone.
Read my article on how neurodiversity is embraced day to day. ⬇️
There’s something sad in watching almost all the autistic community apply to be on
@bbcstudios
’ Inside the Autistic Mind programme and yet us only being able to show a handful of stories.
Reading the inbox, we have an amazingly strong community, full of fight and courage.
💔
I love and hate Twitter so much. It’s such a great insight into the world and what’s happening but some things can be so triggering.
Is that because I’m autistic and struggle with obsessive thoughts? Maybe. What I do know is that you can have too much Twitter…
🥴
@sportbible
I don’t actually mind them occasionally for penalties. They also help setup the geography of free kicks nicely.
What I hate though is when they’re used to show replays, say for counter attacks, where the camera clearly can’t keep up 🙄
Two years ago, an autism diagnosis changed my world. A few months later I told the world my story in this video.
This month, I’m supporting The National Autistic Society (
@Autism
) encouraging the world to accept us and include us.
#AutismAwarenessMonth
@ItsEmilyKaty
It’s unreal the amount of time that has gone into making sure this is done the right way. Being autistic myself, I will make this happen!
I watched the first episode of
#Earth
tonight and am both reassured and terrified by our future!
What stuns me is just the pace of planetary change. It feels so slow in the series yet in reality, thinking of
#Rhodes
, it’s so fast!
An incredible first episode though. 🥺🌎☄️
#Earth
starts tonight on BBC Two & first up is 'Inferno' , where I explore the worst mass extinction the planet has ever seen , when as much as 90% of all species died .
If you're inspired to learn more you can pre-order the accompanying book now at
Yesterday I caught up with
@KatieThistleton
and
@VKHawkesworth
on
@BBCR1
to talk about neurodiversity and reflect on
@niallaslam_
’s experience.
I’m genuinely so chuffed with the reaction to this…
Listen to the full interview here: