Ayling-Ellis will play a Deaf catering worker who becomes a lip reader for the police.
ITV has announced that Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis is set to lead its new crime drama Code of Silence.
The six-part series will see Ayling-Ellis play Deaf catering worker Alison Woods, who is struggling to make ends meet by juggling two jobs in a police canteen and a local bar. She is also doing all she can to support her Deaf mum Julie.
However, when she is approached by police officer DC Ashleigh Francis to lipread the conversations of dangerous criminals, she ends up becoming the key to unlocking the investigation.
However, Alison soon finds herself drawn to one of the main suspects, Liam, complicating her feelings about the case and threatening to impact her personal life.
The series has been written by Catherine Moulton who has previously written an episode of Baptiste and worked on scripts for The Good Karma Hospital and Peaky Blinders.
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Ayling-Ellis said of her role in the series: “I am so thrilled to be coming on board for Code of Silence and to get to work with the incredible team at Mammoth Screen.
“When I first read Catherine Moulton’s script it was obvious that her first-hand experiences and understanding has enabled her to write a truly authentic character and I knew I had to be a part of this project. I am so delighted ITV are as excited as we are to bring this to life and I can’t wait to get to started!”
Meanwhile, ITV’s head of drama Polly Hill added: “In a world where there’s a lot of crime drama Code of Silence really stands out. It’s a brilliantly original story and a great role for Rose Ayling-Ellis.
“Catherine Moulton has written a thrilling drama that audiences will be gripped and surprised by, but she also puts you in the shoes of Alison, a young Deaf woman.
“I am incredibly proud to make this show with Rose, Catherine and Mammoth Screen. It’s a mainstream crime show, but one that can make a real difference to the audience’s understanding of the Deaf community.”
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