Rose Ayling-Ellis is making her CBeebies’ story corner debut this weekend and will become the first celebrity to sign a bedtime story for the children's TV programme. Rose will be appearing on Sunday, May 8 to mark the end of Deaf Awareness Week and tell the tale of a young bear and his dad on their journey into the discovery and management of deafness.
The 27-year-old will sign the story titled ‘Can Bears Ski?’ illustrated by Polly Dunbar and written by Raymond Antrobus. It is based on the author's own experience in a bid to show how isolating it can be for a deaf child in a hearing world.
It will be the first ever British Sign Language (BSL) signed story and will also be subtitled. Actress Rose will only be speaking to introduce the story and then later, after the story, to say goodnight. This is the first of two stories 2021 Strictly winner Rose has recorded for CBeebies in the hope it will "inspire" young children to want to learn British Sign Language.
On the announcement of her Bedtime Stories debut, Rose said: “I am super excited to read my first CBeebies Bedtime Story in British Sign Language and it’s even more wonderful to share a story written by a deaf writer. I hope deaf children enjoy the story and it inspires hearing children to want to learn BSL more!”
Rose is perhaps best known for playing Frankie Lewis in BBC One soap EastEnders and in 2021 she made history by becoming the first deaf contestant to take part and win Strictly Come Dancing alongside her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice. The pair wowed viewers with their couples choice performance, which saw them perform a section of the dance to no music, to celebrate and raise awareness for the deaf community
You will be able to watch Rose's bedtime story on Sunday, May 8. CBeebies Bedtime Stories airs daily from 6.50pm on BBC iPlayer and episodes signed by a BSL interpreter air each Saturday and Sunday.
