Award-winning actress and former Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis has delivered an uplifting and heartfelt message to her younger self, urging her to view her deafness not as a barrier but as an advantage in life.
In support of the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Deaf Awareness Week—running from 5 to 11 May—the 30-year-old star recorded a touching video as part of the charity’s A Message to Younger Me campaign. Delivered entirely in British Sign Language, Ayling-Ellis’s message recalls her first job application and the doubts she experienced as a teenager.
“Don’t worry too much,” she begins in the video. “I remember you were nervous for your first job interview to work in a supermarket. You were worried and concerned, and you told mum that you didn’t know if you would get the job because you are deaf.”
With an encouraging smile, she continues: “Forget that, you will get the job. When you get the job, you will realise your confidence will grow, you will learn that being deaf is actually your advantage. It will give you so many opportunities—just learn how to make the most of those opportunities. Before you know it, you will have an amazing time, just believe in yourself.”
Ayling-Ellis, who made history as the first deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, went on to win the show’s 19th series alongside professional partner Giovanni Pernice. The duo captured hearts nationwide with their moving performances, including a moment of silence during one routine to highlight the experience of deaf dancers—earning them widespread praise and a BAFTA for the moment’s impact.
In her continued efforts to raise awareness and promote inclusion, Ayling-Ellis has become a role model for the deaf community. Her participation in Deaf Awareness Week is joined by another Strictly alumna, Tasha Ghouri, who finished as a finalist in the 2022 series.
Ghouri, 26, who also rose to fame on Love Island, reflected on her own experiences as a dancer with a cochlear implant. “You also had struggles with it falling out while you were dancing,” she said. “But you stayed positive and found ways to get through it and to adapt—you managed to find double-sided sticky tape was the way to keep it on.”
She added: “Many people send you videos showing them decorating theirs, and that’s the power of the deaf representation you did on Strictly Come Dancing. Your deafness does not define you. It’s a part of you that’s special and unique. Embrace your differences—it’s your superpower and that’s what makes you truly magical.”
The A Message to Younger Me campaign, spearheaded by the National Deaf Children’s Society, aims to inspire and empower deaf children by sharing personal stories of identity, confidence, and resilience from public figures and everyday heroes within the deaf community.
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Arran Masterman, spokesperson for the charity, said: “We want deaf children and their families to be inspired by these stories and messages of empowerment. We’re encouraging deaf children to embrace their deaf identity and see their uniqueness as a strength.”
He continued: “It’s also about raising awareness of deaf experiences. Whether it’s overcoming barriers, finding confidence, or embracing sign-language, every story is a celebration of deaf pride and resilience, for deaf children, young people and the wider deaf community.”
The campaign highlights the message that deafness is not a limitation but rather a unique part of a person’s identity—something to be celebrated rather than hidden. With ambassadors like Rose Ayling-Ellis and Tasha Ghouri leading the way, the movement continues to pave a path of positivity and change for future generations.
As Ayling-Ellis herself concluded, “Just believe in yourself.”
