The Guide Dogs charity has praised the inclusion of partially-sighted Kingstonian Souleyman Bah on the BBC's hit show The Apprentice.

Mr Bah, who is also a paralympian athlete, is affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa and has limited sight.

He is currently gracing Britain's TV screens as a contestant on The Apprentice, where budding entrepreneurs compete to win a business partnership with celebrity millionaire Businessman Lord Alan Sugar.

John Welsman, Policy and Standards Manager at the charity Guide Dogs and guide dog owner, welcomed the BBC's inclusion of Mr Bah, and said the charity was calling on broadcasters to feature more blind and partially sighted people.

"We welcome the fact that this year’s The Apprentice has included Souleyman as a candidate.

"We believe that the BBC has taken an important step in terms of disability representation on prime-time TV. Yes, he has Retinitis Pigmentosa, but he is much more than his diagnosis.

"He is a successful para-athlete, popular motivational speaker, entrepreneur and proof that people with sight loss can live the life they choose without barriers.

"Today we want to call for the nation’s broadcasters to commit to showing a different side to disability as well as challenging some common misconceptions," Mr Welshman said.

He added that it was a "sad" state of affairs that "blind and partially sighted people are significantly less likely to be in paid employment than the general population or other disabled people" and said that needed to change.

"At Guide Dogs, we provide a range of services with and beyond the dog to help thousands of people with different needs lead confident, independent and fulfilling lives.

"We know that with the right support, sight loss should never be a barrier to success.

"We wish Souleyman the best of luck with the show and hope that he has the skills, talent and competitiveness to impress Lord Sugar," Mr Welshman said.