On its opening night Channel 4 put down a marker for a new kind of television representation of disability. Walter, Stephen Frears' debut drama for Film on Four about a learning disabled man thrown into the chaos of a Victorian institution after the death of his mother, was indeed shocking; nothing like it had been seen on television before. But it did more than shock. It showed Walter - Ian McKellen in a compellingly empathetic performance - as an individual with recognisable feelings trying to cope in nightmarish circumstances. Later described by the British Film Institute as ‘a celebration of individual spirit and a critique of social responses to disability', Walter created a new benchmark for programmes about disability.

Times and attitudes have changed since 1982, but Channel 4 still sets the standard, challenging prejudice with authentic portrayals of disabled people. In 2007, compelling performances and the unflinching confrontation of complex ethical and emotional issues placed Richard is My Boyfriend firmly in this tradition. This single drama told the story of Anna, a young woman with a mental age of five, who meets Richard - who has Down's syndrome - at a day centre. Their relationship results in a miscarried pregnancy, and provokes strong but different reactions from Anna's concerned parents. Should she be sterilised for her own protection? Lesley Manville and Ian Puleston-Davies played the parents, with newcomers Amanda Hale and Elliot Rosen as the young couple. Experienced lawyers, social workers and psychologists played themselves. Based on 15 real-life cases, the drama's fact-based approach lent authenticity to its exploration of the difficult issues of informed consent to sex and enforced sterilisation. Most affectingly, Richard is My Boyfriend showed the value of a loving relationship in the lives of two young people with disabilities.