THE BBC is aiming to ­quad­ruple the number of disabled people it features on TV by 2017.

The corporation announced a commitment yesterday to boost the representation of staff with disabilities both on and off air.

And they include a large increase for those featured on screen from the 1.2 per cent in the most recent survey to 5 per cent - representing one in 20 of those people seen on TV.

Director-general Tony Hall said: "It is vital we reflect the public we serve -both on and off air. While the BBC has some good schemes in place, we must and can do significantly more. That's why we want to quadruple on-screen representation and open up many more opportunities for disabled people to work at the BBC."

A disability executive will champion disabled talent and projects across the BBC.