Rose Ayling-Ellis helped place the deaf community firmly in the spotlight when she won Strictly Come Dancing 2021 and now, in her documentary Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change, she is highlighting what still needs to be done to champion those with hearing loss.
The one-off BBC One film sees her look at the difficulties faced by people who are deaf, while she also explores the varied means of communication that are available to them.
Here’s everything we know about Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change…
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change — what is the release date?
The one off documentary airs on Monday, June 26 on BBC One at 9 pm and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
We will let you know if a US release date is announced.
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change — what is it about?
The ex-EastEnders star is keen to raise more awareness of the challenges that deaf people still face by reflecting on her family’s experiences as she was growing up and also meeting other people with hearing loss as well as medical experts.
Rose speaks to her parents about the decisions they made, and she talks to ex-MP Rosie Cooper, whose parents were deaf and who fought to get a bill that legally recognised British Sign Language through Parliament last year.
Meanwhile, Katie, a mum from Cornwall, tells Rose about her own battle to support her deaf toddler, Alvie.
The documentary also sees the actor making her Olivier-nominated West End debut in Shakespeare’s As You Like It last year, in which she used sign language on stage, while she undergoes tests to assess her reading age and also her sign language ability.
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change — interview
Why did you want to make the film?
“I love being deaf and Strictly was so positive, but we need more awareness of how hard it is to be deaf in the UK. It's not because of us being deaf, it’s because of society’s attitudes. Sign language is the only language where I understand 100% of a conversation. But people underestimate how useful it is. They see it as something to support language but it’s a language in its own right.”
Your mum learnt sign language so that she could teach you, despite being warned it could prevent you from speaking. What was it like talking to her and your dad about the choices they made?
“I’m proud of how honest they were. The system hadn’t supported them, they had to muddle through. That must have been hard, because as parents, you carry guilt about making the right choices. When you have a deaf child, there are even more choices.”
In Cornwall, you meet Katie, who wants to learn sign language to help her deaf toddler Alvie. How did that feel?
“It was lovely but the emotion Katie was going through was similar to what my parents did. I felt frustrated, because it's a hard battle. Learning sign language can still cost parents thousands.”
We also see you making your West End debut as Celia in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, in which you used sign language on stage, but sadly, a man in the audience interrupted one performance to claim that it was discriminating against hearing people. That must have been tough…
“It shocked me because I felt, ‘How many other people thought that, but wouldn't dare say it?’ That made me cry but it also made me more determined. I thought, ‘If this annoys you, I must be doing something right!'"
You received an Olivier nomination for the role though, you must have been so proud?
“That was amazing after years of people saying, ‘Sign language won’t be good for you,’ A parent now can say, ‘Rose got an Olivier nomination for her sign language. Why shouldn’t I teach my child?’ It’s a big deal.”
What do you hope viewers take away from watching this?
“I want hearing people to get angry for deaf people, and I want them to gain knowledge about deaf people. And for deaf people, hopefully, we can encourage more sign language because children can learn that and speech. It's not one or the other, we can have both.”
Do you have any other projects coming up?
“I’ve got a guest appearance in [Gold’s comic whodunnit] Murder They Hope, which was funny. I’ve also got an ITV drama, Code of Silence. I'm excited to have the lead role [as a deaf woman who helps the police]. There are twists and turns and it’s playing with what people think deaf people are like! I’ve also got another project that I can’t reveal, but it’s huge. I feel very lucky!”
Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change — is there a trailer?
Not yet, but we will put one up here when it is released.
