Rose Ayling-Ellis’s impressive performances on Strictly Come Dancing have captured the hearts of viewers and won top marks from judges but her appearance on the show seems to be having another effect.
The EastEnders actress appears to have caused a surge in people wanting to learn British sign language (BSL). Ayling-Ellis, 26, the bookies’ favourite to win the TV show’s glitterball trophy, is the first profoundly deaf contestant to take to the dancefloor since Strictly launched in 2004 and she signs on the show.
The training provider BSL Courses saw more than 1,200 people apply for trial lessons last week. On a typical day just 20 or 30 people would register. Russell Fowler, director at BSL Courses, said the actress is a “fantastic ambassador” for