Wanted: A Very Personal Assistant – ‘We felt like long lost friends!’

Wanted: A Very Personal Assistant, introduces young disabled woman, Jasmine, to her temporary PA Emily, and they get on like a house on fire. Since filming stopped, Emily has remained on Jasmine’s bank of carers, and they are still very good friends. Here's an insight into their unique friendship...

What made you two such a good fit for each other?

J: Me and Emily got on so well because we have the same interests: partying, socialising and drinking. We both like to sing too, so it was a massive bonus for me to be able to sing with her brothers’ band, something I'd never done before.

E: Jasmine and I share a love for crude comedy and a strong belief in speaking honestly without constraint, so inevitably we were both up for talking about topics that would ordinarily be taboo when you’ve only known someone for a few hours!

What has been your favourite experience together? Why was that?

J: My favourite experience was going swimming with Emily, it's such an amazing thing to be able to walk in water, and to be able to experience this with her was truly amazing.

E: I introduced Jaz to my brothers at an open mic in Bristol. We’re in a Disney cover band called Dizney Rascal which is extremely silly. Jaz had told me that she likes to sing so I asked her if she wanted to sing a song together. My brothers thought she was really sound (and also a "slammin’ hotty"). Jaz was pretty nervous but she just got up, no messing and smashed it, of course. She’d just overcome a pretty big fear and it was a pleasure to watch.

What has been the most testing moment for the both of you?

J: I did struggle with the personal care, because I am shy. I worried that if Emily didn't wash me correctly I'd have to tell her to do it again and this would be awkward… which it wasn't.

E: This will sound ridiculous, but for me the most testing part of my experience of working for Jasmine was the polishing. I don’t want to sound like a princess but I have genuinely never polished a thing in my 21 years of living!

How have your domestic skills improved, Emily?!

E: I would love to say that some of Jasmine’s tidiness rubbed off on me, but that would be a straight up lie. I’m still not bringing my washing in before it rains and I have yet to master poaching eggs. Scattiness is in my genes!

What’s one thing you’ve learned from each other?

J: Since meeting Emily I have an 'I don't care' attitude. I have had three VERY daring tattoos since meeting her and I love them!

E: I’ve learned so many things from Jasmine it’s kind of impossible to say succinctly. She taught me how to straighten my hair properly... and I guess how to not look like a mess in general! More importantly, I have been trying to emulate the patience that she exhibited when taking me through her personal care routine.

Jasmine’s not resentful or frustrated with the sometimes inconsiderate treatment of people with disabilities in society. She seems to handle everything that life throws at her with so much grace.

How does your friendship make you feel?

J: Have you ever met someone and wondered how you managed without them before? Emily is like the long lost friend I never met, I literally love her.

E: I knew Jasmine and I would be good buddies as soon as I sat down in the interview and we started talking about how prone we are to dying our hair stupid colours until it falls out. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to her for choosing me as her PA and giving me the chance to get to know her. She is a truly stellar woman.

What would you say to young people looking for an assistant or young people looking to take on a similar role?

E: I would say that you’d be hard pushed to find a more meaningful and challenging role. Being a PA for young people just doesn’t seem like work (except maybe the cleaning and cooking aspect - but I’m sure the majority of young people out there aren’t quite as inept as myself when it comes to the household chores!). All you need is the resolve to just give it a whirl.

Wanted: A Very Personal Assistant continues on Friday, 31 July at 9pm on BBC Three. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

The programme is part of Defying the Label on BBC Three, a season of compelling programmes capturing the lives of young disabled people.

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.