Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE

Biography

About Rose

Rose Ayling-Ellis is an award-winning actor, presenter and writer who has become a leading figure in British entertainment and a prominent advocate for deaf inclusion. Deaf since birth and a British Sign Language user, she has broken barriers in television, theatre and broadcasting, challenging perceptions and improving representation across the media.

Her breakout role came in EastEnders, where she played Frankie Lewis, a character crafted to reflect deaf experiences. In 2021 she made history as the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, winning the competition and capturing the public’s imagination with a silent dance that paid tribute to the deaf community. That moment won a BAFTA TV Award for Must-See Moment.

Rose began acting with Deafinitely Youth Theatre and has since built a successful career across stage and screen. Her theatre work has earned her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and Best West End Debut at The Stage Debut Awards. She has appeared in Doctor Who and Reunion and took her first lead television role in Code of Silence, a ground-breaking crime drama centred on a deaf protagonist.

She has presented two acclaimed BBC documentaries exploring deaf culture and identity, and in 2024 became the first deaf person to present live sport on British television during the Paralympics. A published children’s author with a ten-book deal, Rose was appointed MBE for services to the deaf community and continues to champion greater inclusivity in the arts and beyond.