Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis said she will “treasure” her time on EastEnders after announcing her departure from the BBC show.
The 27-year-old, who plays Frankie Lewis, is the first deaf actor to play a regular character on the soap. Since joining in 2020, Ayling-Ellis has been involved in a number of big storylines, including Frankie discovering she is the daughter of Danny Dyer’s character Mick Carter.
Speaking of her departure, she said: “It’s been incredibly special to be EastEnders’ first regular deaf actor. I have loved my time on the show and Frankie has been such an awesome character to play, however now feels like the right time for me to move on and I am excited and ready for new challenges.