Autism Acceptance Week 2026: People/Shows Who Have Inspired Me And Made Me Proud To Be Autistic šš
- Apr 8
- 8 min read
Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. In honour of Autism Acceptance Week 2026, I have listed 7 autistic people/TV shows with the theme of autism who have made a massive impact not only on myself, but also in the autistic community. I did a video version of this, as I know some people are video watchers, but some like to read instead of watch. So without further ado, here are my people/shows that have personally helped me feel inspired in a world that is not necessarily accommodating for us.
Ellie Middleton:
For this first section I'm going to be talking about Ellie Middleton.
Who Is She?
Ellie Middleton is a content creator who after being diagnosedĀ with ADHD and Autism at the age of 24, uses her platformĀ to change the way we think about neurodivergence as a whole. Two milestone moments from her career include doing a Ted Talk an releasing two books called "Unmasked" an "How To Be You" (which I highly recommend as they're both brilliant reads).
Why She Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
Ellie has impacted me as an autistic person because her openness of the highs and lows have also inspired me to be more open in my autism. She has also normalised that less is more, particularly for neurodivergent people after she was open about suffering from burnout after all of her achievements got too much for her mentally.
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance Week message for Ellie would be thatĀ sometimes less really is more. And after following Ellie and her openness about being in burnoutĀ despite all of the successes, itās moments like that where sometimes you need to take a step back, recharge, and start again.Ā
If you follow Ellie let me know your thoughts and how sheās made an impact on you, and if you havenāt, give her a follow on the social media handles below, along with the video format of why she has impacted me.
X/Twitter: @elliemidds
Instagram: @elliemidds
LinkedIn: Ellie Middleton
TikTok: @elliemidds
Patience:
For this next section Iām going to be talking about The TV series Patience.
What Is The Show About?
This centres around a self taught criminal archivist who helps the city of Yorkshire police solve curious crimes after being spotted by DI Bea Metcalf in series 1.Ā Series 2 saw her working with new and challenging boss DI Frankie Monroe, whilst also navigating lessons in life and love.Ā There is also going to be a series 3 at the time of recording this.
Why The Show Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
This show has impacted me as an autistic person because it has a blend of humour, suspense and drama, whilst also showing that Autistic people having a unique way of seeing things can help workforces like the policeĀ
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message from PatienceĀ would be that people shouldn't be afraid of employing neurodivergent people, and this show is a fineĀ example of that
Let me know if you've seen the show an your favourite moments, and if youāve seen the show let me know your thoughts and your favourite moments, and if you havenāt seen it, series 1 and 2 are available on All4. Also if you havenāt, give Ella Maisy Purvais (The Leading Lady herself)Ā a follow on the social media handles below, along with the video format of why the show have impacted me.
X/Twitter: @ellamaisypurvais
Instagram: @ellamaisypurvais
TikTok: @ellamaisypurvais
Michelle Jeram:
For this next section Iām going to be talking about Michelle Jeram.
Who Is She?Ā
Michelle is an actress who worked in the police for 20 years, but had to leave due to medical injury. It was then she turned her attention to acting, and after implementing everything through a company called Act On This (which was where I discovered her), she landed a leading role in two series of Granite Harbour, which is now in production for series 3
Why She Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
Michelle has inspire me as an autistic person because she has shown that age is just a number, an that knowing yourself can get you far. In this case, because she worked in the police for 20 years, she knew that she would fit in that type of role like in Granite Harbour. She has also impacted me as she has shown that you shouldn't be afraid to speak about access needs after listening to her on an act on this podcastĀ Ā
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message from MichelleĀ would be that youāre never too old to follow your dreams, particularly if youāve spent years masking and your gradually unmasking, or working in a different career like Michelle.
If you follow Michelle let me know your thoughts and how sheās made an impact on you, and if you havenāt give her a follow on the social media handles below. And if youāve seen Granite Harbour let me know your thoughts and your favourite moment, and if you havenāt seen it, both series 1 and 2 are on BBC iPlayer, and please also see the video format of why she has impacted me.
X/Twitter: @MichelleJeram
Instagram: @michelle.jeram
The Autistix:
For this next section Iām going to be talking about The Autistix.
Who Are They?
They are a rock band formed in 2010 with the two youngest members being autistic, with their aim to increase inclusion of musicians with disabilities, and I had the pleasure of seeing them live back in July 2025.
Why They Have Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
This band has impacted me as an autistic person I love their aim, as it shows that not only are they welcome to members from all aspects of life, but they are also open to the different access needs that each person might need, and I also like how they don't label themselves as a disability band, but a band with brilliant musicians, which is a brilliant niche to have.
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message from The Autistix wouldĀ be thatĀ music is for everyone. Whether youāre autistic or not, everyone should have the right to have access to learn how to sing or play an instrument, or be part of a band like The Autistix.
If you followĀ The Autistix let me know if you saw them live and how they made an impact on you, and if you havenāt give them a follow on FacebookĀ and Instagram, with their social media handles and website seen below. You can also check out my vlog of when I went to see them, with the link seen below, along with the video format of why The Autistix have impacted me.
X/Twitter: @TheAutistix
Instagram: @theautistix
Dinosaur:
For this next section, Iām going to be talking about the TV show Dinosaur starring Ashley Storrie (who co-created the show along with Matilda Curtis) Kat Ronney and Danny Ashok.Ā
What Is The Show About?
Series 1 focuses on Nina coming to terms with a announcement her sister Evie gives, whilst series 2 focuses on Ninaās life followingĀ a contract of a new job, as well as getting into a love triangle and her life around her completely changing
Why The Show Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
This show has impacted me as an autistic person because I liked how Ashley and Matilda found humourĀ in traits of being autistic, whilst alsoĀ showingĀ some heartwarming moments. The show has also impacted me as there was some relatableĀ stuff in the show, which included Nina having her routine which included the same shows to watch and the same food, but also showed a moment from series 1Ā episode 5 whereĀ Evie and Nina get into an argument about theirĀ early life, which was also anĀ emotional one to watch.
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message fromĀ DinosaurĀ would be that itāsĀ good to find the humour in a situation where a lot of people would deem as ānegativeā. And after doing some research in finding out that Ashley had a late autism diagnosis, turning her experience in to a sitcom is a clever way to turn that negative into a positiveĀ
Let me know if youāve seen this show and what you thought of it, and if you havenāt, series 1 and 2 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer Also if you havenāt, give Ashley Storrie (The co-creator and Leading Lady herself)Ā a follow on the social media handles below, and please also see the video format of why the show have impacted me.
Instagram: @ashleystorrie
TikTok: @ashleystorrie
The A Word:
For this next section Iām going to be talking about the TV series The A Word, starring Max Vento, Lee Ingleby, Morven Christie, Molly WrightĀ and ChristopherĀ Eccleston.Ā
What Is The Show About?
This tells the story of The Hughās family, with their lives changing completelyĀ when their youngest son Joe has an autism diagnosis.
Why The Show Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
This show has impacted me as an autistic person because it gives a realistic point of viewĀ of how a family navigate a diagnosis, particularly when it comes to their children. It also shows the affect pf other members of the family too,Ā with two example being PaulĀ (Lee Inglby), maybe struggling to accept it, Rebecca feeling like an outsider but still loving JoeĀ for who he is. It's also a very relaxing watch, particularly if you've had a busy day and you need abit of self-care to help wind down.
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message for The A WordĀ would be thatĀ yes it will be challenging knowing that when a child is diagnosed youāre going to have to navigate things differently. But that shouldnāt change the love you have for your child.Ā
Let me know if youāve seen this show and what you thought of it, and if you havenāt, all three series are available to watch on BBC iPlayer, along with the video format of why The show have impacted me.
Christine McGuinness:Ā
For this final section Iām going to be talking about Christine McGuinness.
Who Is She?Ā
Christine McGuiness is a model and a TV personality, with her first tv appearance being on The Real Housewives of Cheshire. She is also an ambassador for National Autistic Society, usingĀ a platform to spread awareness after getting diagnosed as autistic at 33, where it was actually seeing traits through her children where she went on her autism journey
Ā
Why She Has Impacted Me As An Autistic Person?
Christine has impacted me as an autistic person because after watching her documentary āUnmasking My Autismā, she showed a raw side to how getting diagnosed late can have am impact on your life, which was very brave of her to show the reality of getting a late diagnosis. She has also shown how all aspects of your life can change from that diagnosis, with one particular stand out being that in the past before marrying Paddy McGuinness, she dated both men and women, and now identifies as a free spirit. This tells me that if she had the confidence to talk about her diagnosis then it helped her give her the confidence to talk about her sexuality, which was a very brave thing to o.
Autism Acceptance Week Message:
My Autism Acceptance WeekĀ message for Christine is that itās okay to start again, particularly when it comes to a late diagnosis. And that is something Christine has done.Ā
Let me know if you follow Christine and the impact sheās had on you, and let me know if youāve seen her documentary āUnmasking My Autismā (where it's currently on BBC iPlayer if you haven't watched it yet), and your stand out moment. And if you havenāt followed her, you can give her a follow on the social media handles below, along with the video format of why she has impacted me.
Instagram: @mrcmcguinness
TikTok: @mrscmcguinness
And those were the 7 autistic people/TV shows who have not only made a massive impact not only on myself, but also in the autistic community. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on how the impacted you, and also tell me in the comments any of your inspiration for Autism Acceptance Week :)
Please also see a link to The National Autistic Society, which includes who the are, what the do and how you can get involve in future projects/events like Autism Acceptance Week!
See you soon for another blog. Until next time...
This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)
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