Signing on UK TV

I was in two minds about whether to put this in Rant, but it's not really a rant, more a mild irritation for which, regrettably, there is no forum. I wish they would set up a Mild Irritation forum; I do mild irritation far more than I rant.

Tried to watch a film just now on C4 called Fourth Kind (Milla Jovovich). Got to say, didn't look that thrilling. But I never got the chance to watch it properly thanks to some demented woman flinging her arms about all over the show in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Now, whatever the state of your hearing, this is surely the most mind-bogglingly frustrating sight to confront a viewer who is trying to watch a TV programme.

Most of us silently tolerate it because it's for the benefit of those poor deaf people...little realising that only a tiny proportion of deaf people understand British Sign Language. So these are just as baffled and frustrated as the rest of us.

There are estimated to be about 8.7 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK... RNID judges that around 50,000 use British Sign Language (BSL) to communicate, and BSL is the first language of many of them.

deafsign.com...

So why do they persist in producing signed programmes?

a reply to: CJCrawley

Use your imagination and it can be added entertainment



I have fond memories of coming home at the early hours of the mornings usually intoxicated, switching on the tv and sticking on some music and watching the signers dance.

I concur ! It does my tits in too !

a reply to: CJCrawley

I'll match your 'mildly irritated' with my own 'slightly irked.' We Brits are so OTT

It irks me that they dump all the sign language TV deep down in the small hours. What makes anyone think deaf people want to stay up till 4am to watch re-runs?!

It's a UK thing and the entire raver generation spent many after-club hours dazed and happy watching sign language shows in hysterics.