The award-winning actor turned up on Emmerdale as Charity Dingle’s long-lost son, Ryan Stocks. Since then, his condition has been written into his script. What is it?
Speaking to Disability Horizons, James reflected on his experience getting onto TV.
“It’s hard for anyone,” he began, “but when I was growing up, there weren’t many disabled people being represented on film or television.”
The 28-year-old studied hard at the National Youth Theatre to make his way onto the screen, and when he did, he made a big impact.
“The part of Ryan was always intended to be for a disabled actor,” he continued.
“But not specifically one with cerebral palsy” – a condition James knows all too well.
“It was incredible that they wrote that in later,” he added. “I love being part of Emmerdale.
“Its showing disability in a new light and letting viewers know that disabled people can be intelligent and have full, healthy lives.”
Cerebral palsy
The NHS explained cerebral palsy is the term used to group “lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination”.
The symptoms of the condition tends to become apparent by the time a child reaches the age of three.
Symptoms can include delays in reaching development milestones, such as not walking by 18 months.
Babies with the condition may seem “too stiff or too floppy”, with “weak arms or legs”.
A toddler may exhibit “fidgety, jerky, clumsy and random, uncontrolled movements”.
The condition falls on a spectrum, with some people only middle affected whereas others may be severely disabled.
In adult life, people with cerebral palsy may have difficulty with swallowing, and may drool.
Some people with the condition could have issues with speaking and communication.
Others could experience urinary incontinence, seizures, learning disability and reduced vision.
There are four main types of cerebral palsy: spastic cerebral palsy, dyskinetic cerebral palsy, ataxic cerebral palsy and mixed cerebral palsy.
Spastic cerebral palsy
This is when the muscles are stiff and tight, making it difficult to move.
Dyskinetic cerebral palsy
This is when the muscles switch between stiffness and floppiness, causing random, uncontrolled body movements or spasms.
Ataxic cerebral palsy
This form of cerebral palsy means a person has balance and co-ordination problems, sometimes resulting in tremors.
Mixed cerebral palsy
Mixed cerebral palsy is when a person has a mixture of more than one type of cerebral palsy.
This condition is caused by brain damage, which can occur inside or outside of the mother’s womb.
Typically, the brain is starved of oxygen which can be due to a traumatic birth.
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