Over the last decade, there has been a steady shift of inclusivity within the comedy fraternity which seems a million miles from the landscape of my childhood. Growing up with a disability in the nineties, I seldom saw anyone on television who either looked or sounded like me. The world of disability seemed an area which comedy hadn’t conquered and only fleeting appearances from Francesca Martinez were always few and far between. This was all about to change in 2012 when Channel Four launched a nightly entertainment programme to accompany the London Paralympic Games. The Last Leg pitted amputee Adam Hills alongside fellow amputee Alex Brooker who was joined by writer and comedian Josh Widdicombe for an entertainment show like no other. This proved a breakthrough for disability in comedy and spearheaded a revolution.
Just two years later, following growing up on a comedy diet of Little Britain, Phoenix Nights and The League of Gentlemen, aged just 14, he auditioned for the heavyweight Britain’s Got Talent. By this time the ITV juggernaut had been running for seven years but had yet to be won by a comedy performer. On the evening of the 8th June 2013 Jack defied the odds to become runner up to the Hungarian dance troupe Attraction. Despite the disappointment, he quickly learned that there were many benefits to coming second, most notably being that you weren’t as tightly controlled by the machine which is Simon Cowell’s omnipotent power. Instead, he took more control over his own career which ultimately proved successful.
Obviously in the succeeding years Lost Voice Guy and Axel Blake claimed victory by just performing stand up but at this stage the show was more of an outlet for dance troops and singers. At just 14 years old, Jack was slightly oblivious to the responsibilities of being a disabled ambassador or figurehead and instead merely enjoyed the experience. It’s only with experience and the benefit of hindsight that he’s able to look back and realise the impact which his inclusion had on breaking down social barriers. Being in the company of David Walliams was a dream come true and despite not winning the show, this connection would prove vital to his future career.
When approached by fellow wheelchair user and award winning producer Ash Atella surrounding a role in the Sky One sitcom Trollied, Jack could hardly believe it. To be surrounded by some of the cream of British comedy including Jane Horrocks and Mark Addy was a real thrill for the young performer who had been bred on the northern sense of humour. For this, he remains incredibly grateful to Atella for offering him such an incredible opportunity.
In 2023 Jack received an invitation to join the cast of the legendary Coronation Street: a show that meant a lot to him and his family. Born and bred in Bradford, Coronation Street occupies a special place in the hearts of many in the area and so to join such an iconic show was a dream come true. Cast as Bobby Crawford, the estranged nephew of Carla Barlow, he moved in with her and worked at the factory. The cobbles may now have been the easiest terrain to overcome in a wheelchair but the feeling of being in the nation’s favourite soap was never one that he took lightly. The whole set is richly etched into Britain’s collective psyche and entering the Rovers Return never lost its charm. Despite merely appearing in the soap for just under a year, Jack’s Coronation Street experience is amongst his greatest achievements.
Now, as Jack prepares to return to the stage with his brand new show The Fall Guy, it’s obvious that this performer is definitely not a one trick pony. Whether he’s acting in a soap or sitcom, appearing on a panel show or performing stand up comedy, there’s forever a truth behind everything he does. It was a pleasure to welcome the formidable Jack Carroll to Beyond The Title and I’m excited to see what adventures await him next.
Beyond The Title