EPISODE 26: From early days survival to changing the world with Sara Johnson
Image centres around our guest Sara Johnson - a white women with mid length curly two-tone hair and black glasses, wearing a green sleeveless top and two necklaces as she smiles at the camera. The photo is framed by a bright pink border, with the F**king Normal logo top left and episode title in yellow at bottom: “Episode 26: From early days survival to changing the world with Sara Johnson”
In this episode, Rina and Lauren talk with Sara Johnson about the birth and diagnosis of her now 19 year old son, who has 18p deletion syndrome. They discuss how this led to her career pivot, as after forging a successful career as a TV drama executive, Sara now focuses her efforts on advocating for and representing disabled talent in the industry. It is a sweary, candid and often emotional discussion, peppered with Sara’s wonderful nuggets of wisdom.
Content Warnings
Strong Language warning
Difficult pregnancy (Amnio and CVS procedures)
Traumatic Birth
Guest Biography
Sara Johnson is a TV drama executive with a career spanning 30 years. Sara began as a script Editor at EastEnders (BBC), before becoming Head of Drama at Sky aged 28, and 15 years later the Head of Fox drama for Europe and Africa. In between she brought the A Word to UK screens and worked at a high level across the industry, while navigating parenting and specifically as parent carer to her youngest son.
In 2021 in a terrifying career pivot, she founded Inclusion Consultancy Bridge06, ready to take her passion and commitment in her personal life - as disability advocate - to make real change in the industry. Sara is now an Access Consultant and Agent, having formed the Access team at Casarotto Ramsay and Associates talent agency.. They represent Access Coordinators, a role she helped to train and commercialise with partner Julie Fernandez, alongside other Access roles.
Sara is the author of book series The Treehouse At Number Nine and a lifelong trustee of Chromosome 18 Europe.
Further Resources
Jack Thorne MacTaggart Lecture 2021 - Jack Thorne’s MacTaggart Lecture - where Jack slammed the industry for its treatment of disabled people and delivered a call to action:
