Popular Strictly Come Dancing winner lands own BBC1 show – and it starts this month

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Rose Ayling-Ellis's new BBC One documentary lands on fans' screens this month.

Former EastEnders actress  will tackle the daily challenges, discrimination and barriers faced by deaf individuals in the new one-hour special, Signs For Change.

Glitterball Trophy winner Rose was the first deaf contestant to scoop the coveted Strictly Come Dancing award, dancing up a storm with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice in 2021.

The duo's famous routine to Symphony by Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson before the music fell silent won them a BAFTA, with the actress praised by the deaf community for helping to create a more public platform and increase awareness.

On the special, Rose commented: "This documentary will be real, emotional and hard-hitting, and it is high time that the realities of Deaf people in the UK were shared with a wider audience. 

"My hope is to encourage people to look at our attitude as a society and to reflect on how we can improve the lives of Deaf people. It will not paint me as an inspiration but will instead lift the lid on the gritty stuff that we desperately need to confront."

She added: "I have always admired the incredible, groundbreaking work of Rogan Productions, and I am thrilled to be working with James and the team to document my life, and to share what matters most to me."

The documentary is said to "question if society is adapting fast enough to allow for equality amongst the deaf and hearing worlds by looking at Rose's own experiences and encounters with people on the frontline, pushing for change".

Signs For Change will follow Rose as she speaks to those closest to her and the people pushing boundaries within the deaf community. 

During the special Rose meets a charity that teaches deaf children to speak and she explores how technology plays a role in the lives of deaf people and asks the critical question of whether the hearing world focuses too much on technological fixes and too little on encouraging sign language.

Rose played Frankie Lewis in BBC's EastEnders for two years, appearing in over 100 episodes. 

Since leaving the show, she made her West End debut in a production of Shakespeare's As You Like It and will return to the small screen in ITV's Code of Silence.

Rose will play catering worker Alison Woods who is plunged into a world of crime in the gritty new drama.

Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs For Change will premiere on BBC1 on June 26th at 9pm