Rose Ayling-Ellis has become one of the most influential voices for disability and inclusion in Britain. After rising to fame playing Frankie Lewis in EastEnders–the soap's first deaf character to use British Sign Language–she became a household name after winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, where her silent dance with Giovanni Pernice became a huge cultural moment. Since then she's taken on her first lead TV role in ITV's Code of Silence, won a BAFTA, and received an MBE for services to the deaf community.
But none of it came easily.
In this episode, Rose joins Anita to talk about a lifetime of fighting to be heard. From advocating for herself in the classroom as a child to challenging discrimination in the TV and film industry today, she reflects on the barriers she's faced, the assumptions people still make, and why she's refused to let other people's limitations define her.
Together, they explore the loneliness of feeling caught between worlds - not "deaf enough" for some, yet constantly navigating a world that isn't built with disability in mind. Rose opens up about imposter syndrome, feeling unworthy of milestones like her BAFTA and MBE, why she's so often underestimated, and her determination to live life on her own terms. They also discuss why the fight for true representation is far from over, and why diversity must be intersectional.
This is a conversation about resilience, breaking systems and refusing to let anyone else decide what you're capable of.
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Rose - @rose.a.e
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Presented by Anita Rani
Producer: Flossie Barratt
Technical Producer / Editor: Will Gibson Smith
Social Media Manager: Anna Richmond
Graphic Design: Sunny Formats
Sisters of Defiance is an Illuminaunty production.
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