I love drama, but there is nothing quite like making people laugh

ROSIE JONES DISCUSSES HER FIRST CHANNEL 4 SITCOM AND WHY THE REPRESENTATION OF DISABILITY ON TV MATTERS.

- BY YOLANTHE FAWEHINMI

COMEDIAN Rosie Jones had a very clear vision for her first sitcom, Pushers.

The 34-year-old wanted the Channel 4 comedy series she wrote, based on an award-winning comedy pilot named Disability Benefits, to say something about the state of our society.

And not only about how difficult it is to be disabled in this country, but also how underestimated disabled people really are.

It’s why Rosie, who incorporates her cerebral palsy in her comedic style, wanted to bring the representation of a disabled character who isn’t nice, perfect and does illegal things, to the small screen.

When Emily (played by Rosie) is made redundant and, as a result, loses her state benefits, she builds an illegal drug empire. But Emily is not your average drug dealer; she’s sharp, funny, and highly educated.

And because she’s been ignored, underestimated and patronised when completing simple tasks for most of her life, her criminal activity thrives under this disguise.

Rosie, who started her career writing on panel shows and has appeared in BBC dramas Casualty and Call the Midwife, talks about Pushers and how working on this show challenged her as an actress.

How does it feel to have created a comedy series?

Oh my god, it’s a dream come true. I feel like from the moment that I decided that I wanted to be a stand-up comedian, having your own sitcom is the pinnacle.

I grew up on the greats like Dinnerladies and The Royle Family, so to get to the stage where I have my own sitcom, even though it’s been seven years in the making, I just can’t believe it.

It's a dream come true!

Tell us about Pushers?