Sex Education star George Robinson has been nominated for a BAFTA Breakthrough award six years after becoming paralysed during a school rugby tour.
George, a Nottingham-born actor, was quadriplegic at the age of 17 when he broke his neck at the C4/C5 level. These are the vertebrae which make up the essential parts the spine. He suffered the injury while playing rugby in South Africa.
He After he had lost his mobility in his arms, legs, and hands for ten years in hospital pent returned home to the UK using a wheelchair.
After his injury, George, who attended the £17,400 per year Stamford School in Lincolnshire, decided to pursue a career in acting and last year starred as Isaac in the second season of the hit Netflix show.
He is also the first actor to portray a disabled character on TV.
George, who sustained an injury to his right knee in a fallout from the accident, decided that acting was something he wanted. He starred in Sex Education’s second season as Isaac last year. He is pictured alongside Emma Mackey as Maeve Wiley in the hit Netflix show
George Robinson of Sex Education was left quadriplegic at the age 17 when he broke his neck playing rugby in South Africa on July 2015.
After spending ten months in South Africa’s hospital (pictured), the 24-year-old returned to Nottingham, but he had lost his mobility and was now in a wheelchair.
This young budding actor was nominated by the UK talent initiative previously called Breakthrough Brits. The program has been operating in the UK for over a decade.
Bafta Breakthrough recipients have access to global networking, career coaching and support for skills development, one-on-one industry meetings, and roundtable discussions.
A worldwide jury of judges selected the 36 participants in each country, including 12 from the US and 24 from the UK. Ade Rawcliffe, the outstanding jury chair, was also involved.
George was injured in a serious accident in South Africa and required an emergency operation to insert a metal plate in his neck. This will stabilize his spinal cord.
Following a stay in hospital he was flown back to the UK where he was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where he underwent intensive physiotherapy
George was injured in South Africa and required surgery to insert a metal plate to his neck. This would stabilize his spinal cord.
Following a stay in hospital he was flown back to the UK where he was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for intensive physiotherapy.
George now lives independently with a personal assistant who helps him cook and perform tasks around the house and he uses a wheelchair which has been fitted with powered wheels to help him move around freely.
Actor Sex Education received a candid response from the actor.
He told BBC that he received feedback from the disability community, saying it was refreshing to hear someone so content with themselves and not doubting their existence.
He expressed that the Sex Education script included him as an actor disabled and made sure his experiences were reflected in the show.
A scene that Isaac had to be carried up stairs during a party was a standout. George stressed that the importance of showing that persons with disabilities can express themselves, take on new challenges and overcome them.
“People don’t always know the right words because they’ve never had that experience. It changes when they actually see the screen. He said that TV and media are becoming more important sources of information about society.
He said that he hopes Isaac’s role and increasing representation of disabled communities onscreen will encourage people with disabilities to be accepted and share their experiences.
Robinson said to Vogue that he spoke with Sex Education writers to help shape Isaac’s personality after his personal life experiences.
He also said that he was witnessing a paradigm shift in the representation of disabilities on-screen.
He said, “Not all stories with characters with disabilities are centred on their disability. Not every moment is spent in existential angst.”
This young budding actor was nominated by the UK talent initiative previously called Breakthrough Brits. The program has been operating in the UK for over a decade.
He said that Isaac is happy that the storylines of the show aren’t about his disability.
George had always been interested in acting and admitted to questioning whether this was the right path for him after his injury.
I have always been involved with acting since my youth, and took part in plays at school. Back Up Trust said he was interested in furthering his career.
“But I felt that I needed to be honest after the injury. It was not clear if I felt ready to be an actor.
“But, after a reassessment of myself, I realized that I must get back out on the stage as disabled actor.
Cherwell was his student paper. He said that his injuries made him more isolated and that the drama had become an escape.
He stated that he was thrilled to be a Sex Education actor and required Emma Mackay to read his chemistry.
In 2019, the actor posted two photos taken twelve hours apart on Instagram, showing the improvement he’d made to his injuries. One was before the accident, the other one in hospital.
His words were: “Four years ago, my life took an unexpected turn.” These first pictures were taken twelve hours apart. Since then I’ve come so far and learned so much about myself.
‘I’m so grateful to my family, friends and everyone else who has supported me throughout these last 4 years’.