The hugely popular Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm began a powerful new storyline on 10th July, with fan-favourite character Mathew Price (Mark Stuart Roberts) revealed to be the victim of sexual abuse as a child.
We Are Survivors has a proud history of working with popular TV dramas that make the brave decision to depict stories of male sexual abuse. We’ve worked closely with Hollyoaks, Coronation Street and EastEnders. That tradition continues today with Pobol Y Cwm. Our Chief Executive Duncan Craig OBE has been working in collaboration with the writers at Pobol y Cwm, and with Mark for the last few months on the hard-hitting storyline.
Pobol y Cwm is the BBC’s longest running TV soap. Set in the fictional Welsh agricultural village of Cwmderi, it tells the stories of a tight-knit, rural community. It’s been on the air for over 50 years, and has a special place in the hearts of its faithful viewers. For actor Mark Stuart Roberts, who plays the popular character Mathew Price, his emerging storyline of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of his grandfather is about to have a profound effect not just on his character, but on Mark himself. It’s an acting challenge Mark has embraced fully and with an emotional integrity that radiates from the screen. If you’ve never watched the show before, this is the perfect time to jump on-board.
Mark has spoken exclusively with We Are Survivors magazine Beyond The Silence, telling us “There’s something incredibly powerful about seeing difficult issues explored in a familiar setting, with characters people have grown up watching. It breaks down barriers. It reminds us that these things don’t just happen ‘somewhere else’ – they happen in our towns, our streets, even within our own families. I think drama has a responsibility, not just to entertain, but to inform and to create space for empathy and change. And the work being done here shows how important and transformative that can be.”
We’re really excited to announce that Mark is joining the likes of James Sutton, Richard Gadd and Cheddar Gorgeous as our newest Ambassador. Keep an eye out for more details!
You can read our full, powerful interview with Mark in the new issue of Beyond The Silence now
