BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Rose Ayling Ellis issues heartbreaking statement as she begs 'let me explain'

Rose Ayling Ellis has been supported after issuing a lengthy personal statement - and begging: "Let me explain". The BBC EastEnders star, who won Strictly Come Dancing back in 2021 with Giovanni Pernice, spoke out on Instagram on her Grid.

"Here is a photo of me as a toddler. If I had been born a couple of years later, my life could have been very different," Rose said. "Today, it was reported that a gene therapy trial has taken place. I knew that it was going to happen, but I didn’t expect it so soon. My first reaction was feeling terrified and heartbroken. It feel like the end.

"Let me explain why. Imagine a world where everyone is “normal”. What will become of our story, our culture, language, and identity? Will we be the last deaf generation and end up in a museum somewhere? Deaf people have existed throughout human history. Who decides that their lives are not worth being integrated into society? Who assumes that we want to be “fixed”? Where will they draw the line?

READ MORE DWP 'scandal' grows as 156,000 people told to 'pay back' their money

"Will all the hard work that deaf people fought for inclusivity be thrown out of the window? Why would society meet us halfway now they are the “cure”? A cure is defined as “relieving a person of the symptoms of a disease or condition”. My deafness is not a disease or a condition. I don’t need relief from it. My deafness has given me many opportunities, and my life is richer because of it. Why would I want that to be gone?

"There are many deaf people out there that are doing great things! Why should we tell them that they are broken when, in fact, they are winning? To add insult to injury, this was released during Deaf Awareness Week. The week should be about embracing and spreading awareness about our culture. Not something to overcome.

"Can you help me out here? Let’s spread positivity. Leave a comment about your favourite thing about being deaf or being with deaf people? (Please respect the decision made by the family for their little girl. Like any parent, they are doing what they believe is best for their child. This is not a rant directed towards them in any way. Rather, it is a rant directed towards the society that makes us all believe that being deaf will only bring us suffering, when in reality, it is quite the opposite.)"