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Rose Lucinda Ayling-Ellis MBE (born 17 November 1994) is an English actress. Deaf since birth, she is a British Sign Language user. On television, she is best known for her role as Frankie Lewis in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2020–2022) and for winning the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with Giovanni Pernice in 2021; she was the programme's first deaf contestant.
Rose Ayling-Ellis | |
|---|---|
 Ayling-Ellis in 2022 | |
| Born | Rose Lucinda Ayling-Ellis 17 November 1994 Hythe, Kent, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2011 – present |
| Partner | Samuel Arnold (2014–2022) |
Also known for her theatre work, she has earned a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and is the recipient of the Visionary Honours for Inspirational Person of the Year.
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Rose Lucinda Ayling-Ellis[1] was born on 17 November 1994,[2] in Hythe, Kent, and grew up there.[3] She was born deaf.[4] As a child, she took part in a filming weekend run by the National Deaf Children's Society.[5] During the weekend, she met deaf film director Ted Evans, who later cast her in his award-winning short film The End.[6] She then applied to Deafinitely Youth Theatre.[7]
Acting
Ayling-Ellis's first role was in a short film called The End directed by deaf filmmaker Ted Evans. The 25-minute short is summarised as: "Starting in the 1980s, The End follows four deaf children over 60 years."[8]
She has taken part in a number of stage productions, including Mother Courage (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester);[9] Faith, Hope And Charity R&D (National Theatre, London) and Herons Workshop (Lyric Hammersmith, London). Her television credits include Summer of Rockets and Casualty.[10] She appeared in The Vamps music video for "Middle of the Night", and in the short film Almost with Vilma Jackson.[11] From 2020 to 2022, Ayling-Ellis portrayed Frankie Lewis in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Her character was originally written by deaf journalist and scriptwriter Charlie Swinbourne and she made her first appearance on 18 May 2020.[12] Her departure from the series was announced in August 2022, with her final scenes airing on 22 September 2022.[13]
Ayling-Ellis was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2023 Laurence Olivier Awards for her performance in As You Like It at @sohoplace.[14] In May 2023, she was announced as the star of the upcoming ITV drama Code of Silence.[15]
In December 2024, it was announced that Ayling-Ellis had been cast in a guest role in a episode of the fifteenth series of Doctor Who.[16]
Other ventures
In 2021, Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.[8] She participated in and won the show's nineteenth series, with professional Giovanni Pernice.[17][18][7] In an interview before the start of the series, she said:
I have a hearing aid, so I pick up some of the music and I can hear the beat. I can hear someone singing, but I can't identify exact words. I also feel the vibrations.[19]
Ayling-Ellis and Pernice scored 40 (full marks) for their tango in week six, which was the earliest "perfect score" in the show's history.[20] In week eight, their Couple's Choice contemporary dance featured a rumba with an added period of silence as a tribute to the deaf community. Described by judge Anton Du Beke as "the greatest thing I've ever seen on the show",[21][22] it earned them the 2021 Heat Unmissables Award for TV Moment of the Year.[23] It also won the British Academy Television Award for Virgin TV's Must-See Moment in 2022.[24]
In May 2022, Ayling-Ellis became the first celebrity to sign a bedtime story on CBeebies, telling the tale of Raymond Antrobus's children's picture book Can Bears Ski? (2020).[25] In August 2022, she unveiled the first deaf Barbie doll equipped with behind-the-ear hearing aids released as part of the Barbie Fashionistas line consisting of a number of diverse dolls.[26][27][28] She worked with Mattel during the production of the doll, and featured in the promotional campaign "Rose, Barbie & Friends".[26][28]
In August 2024, Ayling-Ellis was announced as a presenter for Channel 4's coverage for the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. As a result, she became the first deaf person to host live sport coverage on television.[29]
As announced in June 2024, Ayling-Ellis signed a 10-book deal with DK Children's, including non-fiction, picture books and board books, starting with Rose Knows: The Amazing Story of Communication in 2025.[30]
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In an interview with the National Deaf Children's Society, Ayling-Ellis explained that she often has to perform using Sign-supported English (SSE) to reflect her own communication style and make it clear to audiences. Her deafness has not stopped her from enjoying music, and she told The Guardian that her favourite artists are Dolly Parton and Stevie Wonder, and that she is a big fan of soul music.[8]
Ayling-Ellis was in a relationship with Samuel Arnold, who is also deaf, from 2014 until 2022.[31][32]
Ayling-Ellis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours for voluntary services to the deaf community.[33]
In September 2024, Ayling-Ellis was the subject of the BBC genealogy programme Who Do You Think You Are?.[34][35][36]
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- Rose Knows: The Amazing Story of Communication (2025)
- Rose Says Good Morning! (2025)
- Rose Says Good Night! (2025)
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The End | Sophia | Short film |
| 2015 | The Quiet Ones | Charlotte | Short film |
| 2017 | Casualty | Bianca Sinclair | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Reverbations | Josephine | Short film |
| 2019 | Summer of Rockets | Esther | Main role |
| 2020 | Almost | Sarah | Short film |
| 2020–2022 | EastEnders | Frankie Lewis | Regular role; 131 episodes |
| 2021 | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Winner |
| 2023 | Sing for the King: The Search for the Coronation Choir | Judge | Documentary for Coronation of Charles III and Camilla |
| 2023 | Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change | Herself | Documentary |
| 2024 | Channel 4 Paralympic Games | Herself | Presenter; Afternoon Live |
| Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | Series 21 episode 4 | |
| Ludwig | Freya Chordwell | 1 episode | |
| 2025 | Doctor Who | TBA | Series 15 |
| TBA | Tuva | Tuva Moodyson | Crime series |
| TBA | Reunion | Miri | Filming[37] |
| TBA | Signs For Living with Rose Ayling-Ellis (w/t)' | Herself | Upcoming documentary[38] |
| TBA | Code of Silence | Alison Woods | Filming[39] |
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Herons Workshop | Michelle | Lyric Hammersmith |
| 2019 | Mother Courage | Kattrin | Royal Exchange |
| 2019 | Faith, Hope and Charity | Daughter | National Theatre |
| 2019 | Peter Pan | Wendy | Birmingham Repertory Theatre |
| 2022 | Strictly Come Dancing Live! | Herself/Contestant | UK tour (various locations) |
| 2022–2023 | As You Like It | Celia | @sohoplace |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee/work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Newcomer | EastEnders | Nominated | [40] |
| 2020 | Digital Spy Reader Awards | Best Soap Newcomer | Third | [41] | |
| 2021 | National Television Awards | Newcomer | Nominated | [42] | |
| 2021 | I Talk Telly Awards | Best Soap Performance | Nominated | [43] | |
| 2021 | Heat Unmissables Awards | TV Moment of the Year (shared with Giovanni Pernice) | Silent Dance on Strictly Come Dancing | Won | [23] |
| 2022 | British Academy Television Awards | Virgin TV's Must-See Moment | Won | [44] | |
| 2022 | Visionary Honours | Inspirational Person of the Year | Herself | Won | [45] |
| 2022 | National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | EastEnders | Shortlisted | [46] |
| 2023 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | As You Like It | Nominated | [14] |
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