Rose Ayling-Ellis

1994 -
Optimism and Perseverance

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually, the confidence will follow.”

Who Am I?

Rose was born deaf, but that has never stopped her from putting herself out there and being optimistic about her success and the future. Her mother taught her BSL (British Sign Language) and encouraged her immersion in the deaf community, which became integral to her identity.

As a child, Rose took part in a filming weekend run by the National Deaf Children’s Society. During the weekend, she met deaf film director Ted Evans, who later cast her in his award-winning short film The End. She then applied to Deafinitely Youth Theatre. And Rose has never looked back.

What Am I Known For?

She is best known for playing the role of Frankie Lewis on EastEnders. Rose was also the first deaf contestant to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, which she won with her partner Giovanni Pernice in 2021. Rose said she could pick up some music beats with her hearing aid and sense vibrations, which helped her greatly. She hopes that she is an inspiration for deaf children and wants them to know that ‘nothing is impossible’.

Rose is passionate about advocating for the deaf community and campaigns strongly for the BSL Act, which came into force in June 2022 and recognises BSL as a language for England, Wales and Scotland. This Act allows for greater recognition and understanding of BSL and promotes inclusion and equality for BSL users.

How About You?

Even if the future or your success at something feels uncertain, can you remain optimistic and work on achieving your goal?

Can you challenge yourself to learn British Sign Language? Check out free games and resources online.

Other Amazing People (you can find them on the website)

Helen Keller is another person who was deaf (and also blind) due to a childhood illness. She showed much optimism and actively advocated for the rights of disabled people.

Other Useful Resources (available on the website)

Find out about some other Amazing Disabled People in our free resource.

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Photo: Doug Peters / Alamy Stock Photo