Rose Ayling-Ellis has won hearts nationwide, not only as an actress and model but also for her inspiring role as a deaf performer in showbiz.
The standout actress is celebrated for portraying Frankie Lewis on the BBC’s beloved soap EastEnders since 2020. Before her soap fame, she graced screens in Summer Of Rockets and played Bianca Sinclair on Casualty.
Beyond TV, Rose’s artistic flair has seen her on stage and in short films, with credits like Mother Courage and The End under her belt.
Tonight marks Rose’s highly-anticipated return to television in a heartwarming new BBC series where she embarks on a remarkable adventure teaching seniors British Sign Language.
Titled Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands New Ticks, the programme sheds light on hearing impairment in the elderly community, discussing its effects on health and happiness.
While illustrating how sign language can enrich lives and cultivate a sense of belonging. Moreover, Rose uncovers the glaring inadequacies in services for the hard-of-hearing as they age, reports Kent Live.
Making history
Rose, who has been profoundly deaf since birth, made headlines and touched souls when she joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, as their first-ever deaf contestant.
Reflecting on this milestone, she said: “I hope I will do the deaf community proud and break down more barriers. But I am also very excited to learn an incredible new skill and, even better, I get to learn whilst wearing beautiful dresses made especially for me.”
She dazzled audiences with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, and together they danced their way to victory, becoming the champions of the season. Despite keeping it strictly professional, the duo couldn’t escape the whispers of romance along the way.
Off the dancefloor, she blazed a trail on CBeebies, becoming the first celebrity to sign a bedtime story on CBeebies Bedtime Stories with the captivating tale ‘Can Bears Ski?
The EastEnders star continued to break barriers as she etched her name in history at the 2024 Paralympics, taking on the role as the first deaf live sports presenter for Channel 4.
Heart-breaking split
Rose has always preferred to keep her romantic life under wraps, yet we’ve learned that she had been in a significant relationship with Sam Arnold. Their love spanned over seven years until their journey together came to a close in 2022.
While shunning the limelight on their private moments, Rose would every now and then offer her followers a sneak peek into their shared world.
In an exclusive chat with The Express, Rose once let slip a few details about their bond, saying: “I watch (TV) with my boyfriend a lot… We have similar tastes in shows, but I also like watching alone so there are no disruptions”.
Sam did, however, make a rare public appearance, showing up to support her during a Strictly Come Dancing live show in 2021.
In a heartfelt revelation to The Telegraph in December 2022, Rose confirmed their separation, poignantly remarking: “I felt, from the start, like I had known him for a very, very long time… if that’s part of what ‘love at first sight’ can mean?”.