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BBC One to broadcast Oscar-winning short The Silent Child starring Rachel Shenton

The Silent Child: BBC One will air the short on Good Friday: Getty Images
The Silent Child: BBC One will air the short on Good Friday: Getty Images

BBC One will broadcast Oscar-winning short The Silent Child as part of the channel’s Good Friday schedule.

The 20-minute film, directed by Rachel Shenton and Chris Overton was awarded Best Live Action Short at the prestigious film awards earlier this month.

Shenton stars in the film alongside deaf six-year-old Maisie Sly, with the former Hollyoaks actress as a social worker who transforms the world for a deaf girl by teaching her British Sign Language.

In her acceptance speech, Shenton signed for her adorable co-star who was in Los Angeles as well but not at the ceremony.

Sign speech: Rachel Shenton signed her acceptance speech after promising young Maisie Sly she would (Getty Images)
Sign speech: Rachel Shenton signed her acceptance speech after promising young Maisie Sly she would (Getty Images)

She said: "I made a promise to our six-year-old lead actress that I'd sign this speech. My hands are shaking so I apologise.

“Our movie is about a deaf child being born into a world of silence. It's not exaggerated or sensationalised for the movie, this is happening, millions of children all over the world live in silence and face communication barriers and particularly access to education.

“Deafness is a silent disability, I want to say the biggest of thank yous to the Academy for allowing us to put this in front of a mainstream audience.”

​Shenton, who rose to fame as Mitzeee Minniver in the Channel 4 soap, was inspired to the film and script by her own experience of having a deaf parent.

The Silent Child will air at 7.40pm on March 30 on BBC One.