BBC to screen Hollyoaks stars' Oscar-winning short film

·Contributor

16 March 2018 at 7:57 am

Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton (Credit: PA)

The Silent Child, the short film made by former Hollyoaks stars Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton which won an Oscar earlier this month, will be shown on the BBC over Easter.

Announcing the move on Twitter, the Beeb confirmed that it will air on Good Friday, at 7.40pm on BBC One.

THE SILENT CHILD ON THE BBC
As a treat for viewers on Good Friday, @BBCOne will be screening @SilentChildFilm at 7.40pm on Friday 30th March.
Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/fVqVBBejw8
— BBCSeeHear (@BBCSeeHear) March 15, 2018

The 20-minute film stars first time actress Maisie Sly, who is profoundly deaf, as a young girl who meets a social worker, played by Shenton, and is taught sign language.

Shenton wrote the film, inspired by her own experience after her father lost his hearing overnight while receiving treatment for cancer.

Accepting the Oscar for Best Live Action Short, Shenton delivered her speech using British Sign Language.

“I made a promise to our six-year-old lead actress that I’d sign this speech,” she said.

“My hands are shaking so I apologise. Our movie is about a deaf child being born into a world of silence.

“It’s not exaggerated or sensationalised for the movie, this is happening, millions of children all over the world live in silence and face communication barriers and particularly access to education.

“Deafness is a silent disability, I want to say the biggest of thank yous to the Academy for allowing us to put this in front of a mainstream audience.”

Shenton and Overton, who directed the film, met on the long-running Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks playing the characters Mitzeee Minniver and Liam McAllister.