RNID, our volunteers and supporters are absolutely thrilled that Rose Ayling-Ellis has won Strictly Come Dancing.
We want to congratulate Rose, and her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, for their incredible performances on the show which have been such an inspiration to deaf people and people with hearing loss.
Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at RNID, said:
Tonight, Rose hasn’t just won the UK’s biggest TV dance competition, she’s also captured the hearts of a nation.
Rose made history as Strictly’s first deaf contestant, and throughout the last 13 weeks she’s given millions of viewers an insight into her world, and amazed the judges with her outstanding dancing.
She continued to make history by achieving the earliest ever 40 on the show, and creating the ‘greatest ever Strictly moment’ and ‘TV moment of the year’ with her silent dance.
Rose has given the public a beautiful insight into the deaf community and deaf culture, and she has raised awareness of the barriers deaf people and people with hearing loss face, and what we can all do to make a difference.
Her victory isn’t just a personal achievement, but also a victory for the deaf community. She has shown that deaf people can do anything, if society addresses those barriers and provides the right access and support. Giovanni has been a perfect example of this, working with Rose and adapting his teaching style to help her succeed.
At RNID, we are all thrilled that Rose has won, and we are confident that her legacy will mean lasting change for the one in six people who are deaf or have hearing loss. We hope Rose’s success will open up employment opportunities for deaf people and reduce barriers, and we’re excited to see what she will undoubtedly go on to achieve in her future career.”
Annie Harris, Advocacy Officer at RNID who is profoundly deaf, said:
Tonight, Rose has shown the world that deaf people are capable of anything. The deaf community are so proud of her – this is a landmark event that will go down in history.
I believe her success will make a monumental difference to deaf people and people with hearing loss, changing negative attitudes and breaking down barriers in the workplace, in hospitals and in public spaces.
Rose and Giovanni are such worthy winners – I’m thrilled for them both and I believe Rose will continue to inspire us all even after she hangs her dancing shoes up.”
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