The former rugby league participant Rob Burrow will turn out to be the primary non-verbal individual to learn a bedtime tale at the BBC this weekend.
Burrow, who used to play for Leeds Rhinos, will use an eye-controlled laptop to learn a tale at the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
He misplaced the power to talk with out lend a hand in overdue 2020, a yr after he used to be identified with motor neurone illness (MND).
He will learn Tilda Tries Again via Tom Percival at the CBeebies Bedtime Stories display at 6.50pm on Saturday 3 December. The image ebook is ready a lady who unearths tactics to manage after her lifestyles has became “topsy turvy”.
Burrow, 40, used to be advised he used to be not going to are living greater than two years when he used to be identified with MND in 2019.
He made greater than 400 appearances for Leeds Rhinos between 2001 and 2017 and used to be some of the a hit avid gamers in rugby league historical past, successful 8 Super League championships.
His spouse, Lindsey, and the youngest in their 3 youngsters, Maya, seven, and Jackson, 3, accompanied him to the CBeebies recording studio and had a behind-the-scenes excursion.
“I loved doing the CBeebies bedtime story because it brought back so many memories of me reading stories to my own children,” he stated in a BBC interview. “Reading is so necessary and is available to everybody, it doesn’t matter what incapacity you could have.
“I will be able to now not talk as a result of MND has affected my speech muscular tissues. But it does not prevent me from studying to my 3 youngsters. I’m hoping you all revel in paying attention to the tale.
Burrow used to be awarded an MBE final yr for services and products to rugby league and for his paintings elevating consciousness of MND since his analysis.
In a BBC video promoting the display, Burrow tells youngsters: “Hello, I’m Rob, I will be able to’t use my voice in the way in which that possibly you’ll be able to, which is why I exploit this laptop to speak for me. I exploit my eyes to gaze or have a look at the phrases and it speaks for me. It’s like magic.
The laptop Burrow makes use of to talk has been designed to imitate his personal Yorkshire accessory. He stated final yr that the tool had “completely changed my life” after being not able to precise himself when he first misplaced his speech whilst Britain used to be in lockdown.
Burrow joins a number of celebrities who’ve learn bedtime tales at the display, together with Dolly Parton, David Tennant and Jessica Ennis-Hill.