Shared from Within Reach Magazine Spring 2026. Read it now!
WR were delighted to chat with Stefano Dunne, Associate Producer at Magic Light Pictures about their newest Pip & Posy character Becca; we chatted about why inclusivity was important for them and
the responsibility they feel as creators to represent people from all walks of life as authentically and respectively as possible.
What inspired you to introduce a character with an upper limb difference into Pip & Posy?
From the outset, we at Magic Light and our broadcast partners at Sky planned to introduce a new character to Pip and Posy’s friendship group. We quickly saw this as an important opportunity to bring much-needed on-screen representation to children with physical disabilities, a vastly underrepresented group. When that decision was made, we started to think about how we could do this as authentically as possible.
Did you work with organisations or individuals with lived experience when developing the character?
We brought on Cerrie Burnell as our disability consultant and worked with her from development right through to delivery of the final episodes. She provided invaluable guidance and support, bringing in her own lived experience while also emphasising that everyone is different and there wasn’t always a ‘right’ way, which helped reassure us in how we approached the character of Becca.
We were also delighted to cast Sophie Ireland, a talented young Scottish actress with an upper-limb difference. Sophie brought a wonderful confidence, charm and authenticity to the part.
Why is it important to involve the limb difference community in this kind of storytelling?
We wanted children with limb differences to see and recognise themselves in the character of Becca. Involving the limb difference community in the development and production process helped us ensure that Becca felt real and true to their own experiences.
In the special, Pip and Posy’s Treehouse Mystery, Becca rides a bike in several scenes. We weren’t sure how to approach this at first so reached out to Sophie’s agent at ZBD Talent. Within a few days, Sophie and her parents sent over a batch of videos showing how she rides a bike with her limb difference. The reference was incredibly useful to our team of animators who used it to bring these scenes to life. You can see a lot of Sophie’s performance in the final character.
Was it important that the character’s limb difference is not the sole focus of their identity?
Yes, this was essential to us and to our writer, Denise Cassar. We always aim to create fully rounded and realized characters with diverse personality traits. Becca was always seen as a confident and bubbly character with an independent streak. While her upper limb-difference is mentioned in the story, it is done so in a very light and unforced manner, and isn’t integral to the plot or her narrative arc.
What responsibility do media creators have when it comes to inclusion and representation?
TV, film and wider media have always shaped how we see each other. With that comes a responsibility to represent people from all walks of life authentically and respectfully.
What message do you hope children with limb differences take from seeing this character?
We hope they see that Becca’s limb difference is a part of who she is but not the whole story. Like Becca, they can be a great friend, have lots of fun, go on wonderful adventures and even solve mysteries!
What advice would you give to other creators looking to introduce more diverse characters?
Get it done! Diversity adds richness to your stories in the way that you will represent wider society. There are wonderful charities and consultants across the industry who can provide the support and guidance you need to bring your characters to life in an authentic and meaningful way.
All episodes of Pip and Posy, including Pip and Posy’s Treehouse Mystery are available to watch on Sky Kids and NOW.
Watch the trailer now – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTEwskMEM6U
Read the full Within Reach Magazine Spring 2026!