Days after clinching the Strictly Come Dancing trophy, Chris McCausland chats with Access All’s Emma Tracey, who is also blind. Chris talks about conquering self-doubt, the trust that went into his partnership with Strictly pro, Dianne Buswell and how his success on the show has caused positive waves far beyond the blind community. He also gives the inside track on his brand new Christmas film, Bad Tidings, with Lee Mack and the huge comedy tour he is about to embark on with 250 dates… Presenter: Emma Tracey Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Editor: Beth Rose Sound recording and mixing: Dave O’Neill

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Paralympian James Brown, who is partially sighted, has given his first broadcast interview to Access All since he won compensation from the government over his treatment in prison.

Brown reached an out of court settlement with the Ministry of Justice after he launched legal proceedings for being denied his access needs in jail.

He’d been given a custodial sentence for glueing himself to a plane as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest.

We also hear from Recoop, a charity which supports older prisoners, about the situation facing other disabled inmates in the UK.

And we hear from the writer Melanie Reid, on why she’s put an end to Spinal Column — her regular updates for the Times newspaper, which documented her trials and tribulations since she became a tetraplegic and a wheelchair user following a riding accident in 2010.

Presenter: Emma Tracey Editor: Farhana Haider Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Sound recording and mixing: Dave O’Neill

A miniature, toy version has been launched of a scheme to help people inform others they have a hidden disability. The hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard scheme has been running for eight years. The idea is to use the lanyards to inform the public that anybody wearing one might need extra help. Emma meets Paul White, who founded the scheme. She gets a demonstration of the new Lego figures from 14-year-old Jayden, who has a heart condition known as long QT Syndrome, and her mum, Tasha, who has three other children who also have hidden disabilities. Also on the show - to mark Disability History Month, we hear from historian Professor David Turner Presenter: Emma Tracey Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Sound recording and mixing: Dave O'Neill Editor: Farhana Haider

Mental health campaigners have warned the government to avoid "unhealthy benefit war rhetoric" strategy when it finalises its plans to get more benefits claimants back to work. We hear the reaction of Catherine Parsons, who oversees the Big Issue’s specialist employment service Big Issue Recruit. The service helps find work for those who face barriers including homeless people, ex offenders and others with mental health issues. We also investigate data from a children’s rights charity suggesting that many disabled kids in care, and care leavers, could be missing out on vital support. And Emma speaks to CBeebies presenter George Webster, who has Down’s Syndrome.

Presenter: Emma Tracey Produced by: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Recorded and Mixed by Dave O'Neill Edited by: Farhana Haider

The latest part of the Covid inquiry, which looks at the impact of the pandemic on the NHS, has heard powerful evidence from disabled people and their relatives for the first time. BBC Health Reporter Jim Reed — who presents The Covid Inquiry Podcast — shares some of the most poignant testimony that has been shared so far. Emma Tracey also hears from Rachael Andrews, who is partially sighted and has fibromyalgia, and Lisa Burke, whose son Seth has Duchenne muscular dystrophy about how their lives have been severely impacted by the pandemic. We also hear from roving reporter Ben Morris who has been to Belgium to learn more about some clever AI solutions for wheelchair users. Presenter: Emma Tracey Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Audio recording and mixing: Dave O’Neill Editor: Beth Rose

More than 350 disabled people’s organisations have formed a coalition to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill.

The bill proposes that anyone aged over 18 in England and Wales who has a terminal illness with six months or less to live should be allowed assistance to end their lives. Safeguards within the proposals include two doctors and a high court judge approving the request.

The new coalition is being led by Disability Rights UK, which despite having long held a neutral stance on the issue has now announced it opposes it.

Emma Tracey speaks to DRUK Policy and Campaigns Officer, Bethany Bale and Professor Tom Shakespeare, who was one of eight disabled academics and campaigners to sign an open letter to MPs calling on them to support the bill.

Also on the show – Strictly Come Dancing insider, Reece Finnegan-Knight, comes on to spill all about blind contestant Chris McCausland and THAT blackout performance.

Reece himself is blind and works as an assistant producer on the show. He also runs popular TikTok account, Blind and Blonde, with his wife, Sophie, and during the interview reveals the inspiration behind their viral videos like “My Blind Boyfriend - the Stereotype edition”.

Presenter: Emma Tracey Producers: Daniel Gordon, Alex Collins Editor: Beth Rose Sound recording and mixing: Dave O’Neill

Comedy actor Paul Whitehouse and his wife, Dr Mine Conkbayir have turned their focus to ADHD. Dr Mine is an early years researcher and author and was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023. She talks about how a traumatic childhood shaped her, needing plenty of noise and lights to function and her thoughts around medication. Her husband, Paul Whitehouse is known for his sketches on The Fast Show and the more sedate Gone Fishing. All about the calm, he’s curious about why so many of his comedy colleagues are also being diagnosed with ADHD. The couple say why they don’t like the term ADHD, explain what’s meant by dopamining and doom piling and also reveal more about their brand new podcast, ‘I’m ADHD! No you’re not’. Presented by Emma Tracey Produced by Alex Collins and Emma Tracey Sound Recording and mixing: Dave O’Neill Editors: Sara Wadeson and Beth Rose We love to hear from you. Email [email protected] to tell us what you think or suggest a story we should be covering. You can also find us on Instagram and X under @bbcaccessall

The Budget is done and dusted and the US elections about to start. How do disabled people fit in to these big political events? Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her budget. Bethany Dawson from Politico and disability charity Scope’s head of policy, James Taylor,talk us through the bits disabled people care about. They discuss the increase in the minimum wage and a rise in what carers can earn before their carer’s allowance gets stopped. Will any of the chancellor’s announcements help disabled people with their household bills? And how significant is the £1 Billion Reeves has promised for special educational needs and disabilities?The experts break it down for us. As Over 40 million disabled Americans head to the polls to vote for their next president, Trump supporter and disability policy expert Melissa Ortiz and disability activist and Harris supporter Mia Ives Rublee predict what their candidate will do for this community if they win. Our guests also give us an insight into how Trump and Harris treat disabled people when the cameras are off.. Presented by Emma Tracey Produced by Alex Collins and Emma Tracey. Edited by Damon Rose and Sara Wadeson.

Pop Idol star Gareth Gates and former Labour politician-turned-TV star, Ed Balls drop by the Access All studio to chat to Emma Tracey about living with a stammer. More than 20 years after he shot to fame on Pop Idol in 2002 Gareth talks about the new musical he is penning which is all about stammering. He has an overt or exteriorised stammer which causes him to get stuck at the start of a word and repeat the initial letter. Former politician, Ed, didn’t realise he had a stammer until he was already serving in Gordon Brown’s government. He has a covert stammer and describes it as a “block” which means the right words don't always come. He reveals the impact it had on political life when his rivals used it to rock the public’s confidence in him and the moment he knew he had to go public. Presenter: Emma Tracey Producer: Alex Collins Editor: Beth Rose Sound: Dave O’Neill and Daniel Gordon

Over the past five years, Elliot Caswell has let the BBC follow him as he searched for his first job after leaving college, but so far he’s faced nothing but barriers.

That frustration has coincided with the publication of a House of Lords report into how the transition from education to work could be improved for young disabled people.

Stephen Veevers, CEO of HFT, an organisation which helps disabled people prepare for employment, gives his thoughts on the report and offers some success stories too.

Plus, when Norwegian gamer Mats Steen died aged 25 his parents feared their son had lived a lonely life as a result of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. But, when they posted a final update on his blog they were inundated with messages.

Mats, it turned out, had lived a full and vibrant life online. Emma speaks with his parents – Trude and Robert – and two of his online friends - Xenia and her autistic son Mikkel - who learned to connect with each other with Mats’s help. Now a Netflix movie is set to be released on 25 October, about Mat's extraordinary, hidden life.

Presented by Emma Tracey Produced by Daniel Gordon and Emma Tracey Edited by Beth Rose

Teen drama Heartstopper has gained a huge following on Netflix and the third series, which has just dropped, is no different. This time the love story between Nick and Charlie comes with the added complexity of Charlie’s eating disorder. It’s a challenge many LGBTQ+ people face. According to the charity Just Like Us, 20% of young LGBTQ+ teenagers experience an eating disorder compared to 7% of non-LGBTQ+ young people. Why are the numbers so different? Writer and broadcaster Matthew Todd, an expert on mental health issues affecting gay men explores the reasons behind this and James Downs, a gay man and researcher, talks about his own experience of an eating disorder in his teens. Plus author Liz Pichon talks about her best-selling Tom Gates series which has sold 16-million copies and is a hit with dyslexic children and reluctant readers. Liz talks frankly about her own experience of dyslexia and slips in a few easter eggs along the way revealing what Tom might get up to next…. Presented by Emma Tracey Produced by Alex Collins and Emma Tracey Sound recorded and mixed by Dave O’Neill Edited by Beth Rose The national eating disorder charity Beat has a helpline run by trained advisors for anybody who’s concerned they may need help with the issues discussed in this episode. The number is 0808 801 0677.