Introducing the first Star Speaker for our Student Summit… Rose-Ayling Ellis!
Rose will be joining us to share her experience as a prominent advocate for deaf inclusion in British entertainment with OU students, where you’ll have the opportunity to ask her your questions.
She’s consistently broken barriers in television, theatre, and broadcasting, where her breakout role came in the BBC soap opera EastEnders playing Frankie Lewis, a character crafted to reflect deaf experiences. In 2021, Rose made history as the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, where she not only won the show, but captured the public’s imagination with a silent performance that paid tribute to the deaf community. That moment was recognised with a British Academy Television Award for Must-See Moment and remains one of the show’s most talked-about highlights!
From beginning her journey in acting with the Deafinitely Youth Theatre, she’s become an award-winning actor and taken on a lead television role in Code of Silence, a ground-breaking crime drama centred around a deaf protagonist. Consistently using her platform to champion inclusivity, she’s presented BBC documentaries, become a published children’s author, and has been appointed an MBE for her services to the deaf community.
We’re thrilled to welcome Rose to share her experience with you for our Student Summit on 21 November, explore more about the event, and see how you can get involved here!
Visit the Student Summit site