Rose Ayling-Ellis opens up on BBC Strictly journey with Giovanni Pernice

Rose Ayling-Ellis has discussed her BBC Strictly journey with Giovanni Pernice.

The Eastenders star made a "hate" admission as she spoke on her appearance in Strictly Come Dancing back in 2021. Rose, 29, made headlines when she and Gio danced in total silence.

Since, Rose has claimed she despised the idea and was concerned it would come across as a "pity" vote. She admitted speaking with bosses in hopes of scrapping the idea, reports Birmingham Live.

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“I hated it. I watched this prerecorded video by external choreographers and immediately didn’t like what they’d come up with. I was up for the idea, as long as it wasn’t a patronising stunt,” she told the Guardian.

“An attempt to get the pity vote, all sad, dreary and ‘poor me’,” Rose added. She said: “It was what hearing people think deaf people experience. Very insular, cut-off, small. It was so sad. And that’s not me.” She explained: “I told them, if you want me, I’ll need you to agree to certain things.”

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“They went further than I’d asked,” she says, adding: “so I said yes. On my first day, everyone finger spelt their name to me. It was a special gesture.”

Claudia Winkleman told the paper: “I need to make such a bold statement because I know her well enough to know she never would.

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"And to be clear, Rose isn’t astonishing because she won a dance contest while not hearing the music. She’s utterly brilliant because she’s genuinely hilarious, because she’s ridiculously humble, and because she’s bonkers talented.”

Rose said: . “I’ve had so many opportunities because of all this.” She went on: “And I’m in this position where people are listening to me. It comes with a sense of responsibility: I don’t want to make a mistake, or let the deaf community down. It feels a lot is on my shoulders.”