Rose Ayling-Ellis "excited" to make history at Paralympics
The actor will soon become the first deaf person to host live sport coverage on television.
Rose Ayling-Ellis has spoken about her groundbreaking new role as a commentator at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The sporting event, which kicks off at the end of the month, will be covered across Channel 4 and YouTube, with the former EastEnders star set to front a daily show called Afternoon Live alongside Clare Balding.
Speaking to BBC News, she hailed the Paralympics as an event that "breaks people's barriers of understanding what we are capable of", but acknowledged that "we shouldn't be trying to prove this to people".
The actor previously became the first deaf contestant on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing and ultimately won the competition that year, before completing a stint in the West End Shakespeare play As You Like It.
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Ayling-Ellis continued: "It is really exciting that I am the first deaf person to host a live sports TV show. People seem to think that hosting a show is also to do with hearing, but now I'm here to prove that doesn't have to be."
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Her co-host Balding said that the team on Afternoon Live are "finding different ways" of operating, with most TV presenting jobs relying on an earpiece through which producers can communicate with on-camera talent.
"It's so important to take on that challenge and take new steps," explained Balding. "We're not going to tell you how [to do it], we're going to show you."
Ayling-Ellis went on to reveal that she had undergone "lots of training" to prepare her for the role, which did elicit some "panic" initially, but assured that she is now "so excited" to get stuck in.
She added: "My career so far has been quite mad, and this is another job for me to challenge myself, really. It is such a big challenge.
"No one deaf has ever done this before. I think I'm addicted to being the first of doing something, and that is what I want to do.
"It's for everyone to learn from and understand more about disability and that this is all just normal."
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games begin on Wednesday 28th August 2024.
Check out our Paralympics 2024 TV guide, including where to watch the action, exclusive interviews, and a day-by-day TV planner.
Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
