Actor Rose Ayling-Ellis was born on 17 November 1994 in Kent and is 29 years old. She is best known for playing Frankie Lewis on EastEnders and winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, where she was the series’ first deaf contestant. Rose will discover her family history on Who Do You Think You Are? on Thursday 5 September 2024. Here’s five things you might not know about the star…
1. Paralympic trailblazer
Rose will host Channel 4’s afternoon coverage of the 2024 Paralympics, making her the first deaf presenter to host a live sports programme on British TV.
2. Star of stage and screen
Rose has acted in stage productions including Mother Courage at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and Herons Workshop at the Lyric Hammersmith. However, she wasn’t sure acting would be a full-time career until she was cast in the 2019 BBC TV series Summer of Rockets.
3. Championing representation
Rose supports Deafinitely Theatre, the first deaf-launched and deaf-led professional theatre company in the UK. It is also known for producing bilingual theatre in both British Sign Language and Spoken English. Through her involvement, she helps to champion the arts and create opportunities for deaf actors and audiences.
4. Children’s dreams
Rose took part in a campaign with Barbie revealing the first hearing aid-wearing Barbie doll. She was also the first celebrity to sign a bedtime story on CBeebies.
5. Awards success
Rose won the 2022 Visionary Honours Inspirational Person of the Year award and was awarded an MBE in 2024 for services to the deaf community. She has also been nominated for the National Television Awards Best Newcomer Award and the Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Award.