Rose Ayling-Ellis is creating a new TV comedy-drama that will be "totally bilingual".
Rose Ayling-Ellis creating bilingual TV comedy-drama
The former 'EastEnders' star and 'Strictly Come Dancing' winner - who is deaf and uses British Sign Language - has announced that she is working on the "female focused" project, which will bring deaf stories to the mainstream.
Speaking at the the Edinburgh International TV Festival, she said: "My journey so far hasn’t been easy, and the future will certainly have its challenges, but it is a huge privilege to be able to tell deaf stories and for them to have the potential to reach an expanding audience. I have created and am currently developing a new comedy-drama series that will be totally bilingual and female focused.
"[I am] done with being the token deaf character. I believe that diverse, rich, and fascinating deaf stories are ready to go mainstream and that we can do this, together."
She is also set to front a new BBC documentary 'Signs For Change', which will explore the daily challenges and discrimination facing people within the deaf community.
Rose, 27, said: "This documentary will be real, emotional and hard-hitting, and it is high time that the realities of deaf people in the UK were shared with a wider audience.
"My hope is to encourage people to look at our attitude as a society and to reflect on how we can improve the lives of deaf people. It will not paint me as an inspiration, but will instead lift the lid on the gritty stuff that we desperately need to confront."
The documentary is set to explore "societal change and inclusion for deaf individuals", according to the BBC.