Rose Ayling-Ellis has been crowned the winner of 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Rose Ayling-Ellis has won Strictly Come Dancing
The 27-year-old star and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice won the public vote and lifted the glitterball trophy after beating John Whaite and Johannes Radebe in the final.
Rose - who wowed the judges with her performances during the final - said to Giovanni: "I just want to say you are so amazing. You pushed me to believe in myself more than I believe in myself. You are an incredible teacher, but not just that ... you are a wonderful friend.
"We've gone through a lot, and I just want you to know no matter what happens, no matter how busy we get, I want to you to know you've always got a piece of my heart. You really do."
Giovanni, 31, also revelled in their success on the BBC show.
He said to Rose: "I have to say thank you to this beautiful young lady that made all my dreams come true. You became the best, best dancer, the best teammate I could ask for. You are a dream, Rose, you really are a dream. So, thank you for everything."
Rose is the first deaf person to compete on the programme, and before the series, she spoke of her ambition to break down stereotypes.
The actress - who is best known for playing Frankie Lewis in 'EastEnders' - said: "A lot of people think that deaf people can't hear the music, enjoy the music, and enjoy dancing. I thought it would be a good platform for me to break that stereotype.
"I have a hearing aid, so I pick up some of the music and I can hear the beat. I can hear someone singing, but I can't identify exact words. I can also feel the vibrations. I will be focusing on reading my partner's body language plus counting in my head, which will help me with timing."