Autism explored in new drama adaptation

Writer Peter Bowker (Marvellous, Occupation, Blackpool) is to adapt Keshet International and July August Productions’ series, The A Word for BBC One.

The six-part series, which was written and created by Keren Margalit, is the story of the Scott family who work and love and fight like every other family. Then their youngest son is diagnosed with autism and they don’t feel like every other family anymore. They realise that if their son is ever going to communicate, they are going to have to learn how to communicate themselves. It’s a funny and thought-provoking series about parenthood and childhood and what it’s like to have a child who doesn’t fit the mould.

Peter Bowker says: “I loved the original series and wanted to honour its spirit while writing something new. We have the opportunity here to make something funny, tough, realistic and inventive about contemporary family life and autism. In a society where imperfection increasingly comes with blame attached, it seems timely to look at how autism is regarded both within a family and the wider community – and to give some insight into how that experience might be for the child on the autistic spectrum. It’s a drama full of ideas – about parenthood, about disability, about communication, about community – and will emphatically engage an audience whatever their experience of the subject”.

The A Word will be Executive Produced for Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect and and Keshet UK.