Rose Ayling-Ellis is helping to drive interest in learning sign language as she continues her Strictly Come Dancing journey towards the coveted glitterball.
The deaf actress and star of EastEnders created history on the BBC One show on Saturday when, with partner Giovanni Pernice, they racked up a maximum four tens from the judges, the earliest 40 in the history of the show.
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Data collected after the couple’s performance the previous week, a Viennese waltz that incorporated British Sign Language (BSL) in the routine and which saw them bag their first ten of the series, showed UK searches for sign language rose by 488 per cent.
Analysis of Google Trends by CasinaGrounds.com revealed that search volume for “learn sign language” rocketed by 1,011 per cent in the space of three hours on Saturday, October 23, when Strictly was on air.
Giovanni Pernice and Rose Ayling-Ellis danced an icy-cool tango for Halloween week, scoring tens from all the judges
(Image: BBC / PA)
Commenting on the data on Strictly’s companion show It Takes Two, Rose said: “That’s the whole point of why I’m doing this.”
The abbreviation BSL saw a 221 per cent increase in search volume after Rose and Giovanni performed their dramatic storytelling waltz, the first time BSL was included in the choreography on Strictly in 17 years.
A spokesperson for CasinoGrounds.com said: “This analysis has shown that Rose is really making an impact through her appearance on UK televisions every weekend.
“This data not only shows that the British public are taking more of an interest in British Sign Language but are also wanting to actively learn sign language themselves as a result of Rose’s time on Strictly.
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“The incorporation of sign language into the choreography highlights the growing representation of the deaf community on our screens.
“Not only will this hopefully give confidence to people just like Rose, but also educate viewers on British Sign Language and the importance of communication.”
Rose has previously stated that she wants to “move along” the conversation regarding deaf people and their enjoyment of music.
East Riding College at Beverley runs British Sign Language courses that are always over-subscribed.
EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis is the first deaf contestant on the Strictly Come Dancing show and is paired with Giovanni Pernice
(Image: BBC)
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Source: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/strictly-star-rose-prompts-learn-6143780