Derbyshire man becomes first wheelchair user to direct EastEnders

Mr Tooth, who has won awards at multiple film festivals, said his experience working on EastEnders was “overwhelmingly positive”.

“They’ve got crew and they’ve got cast who are wheelchair users there, so for me I’m really used to being on a film set and them having an awful lot of questions and an awful lot of uncomfortable people around me.

“It was just so relaxed there, it was kind of dreamy going into a place where the ground was already laid for me.”

He said becoming a wheelchair user has made him appreciate how much work the film industry needs to do when it comes to people with disabilities.

“It’s not as easy to get into the industry if you have a disability,” he added.

“I think I still thought it was a meritocracy, I still thought talent would rise and that’s not actually true when there’s barriers in the way that really stop you from progressing, you cant cultivate your talent if no one is going to let you.”