Strictly Come Dancing champion Rose Ayling-Ellis is set to make history as the first deaf presenter of live sports on British television.
She will return to screen as part of Channel 4‘s innovative Paralympics coverage team.
At 29, Rose will be pioneering a new role alongside veteran broadcaster Clare Balding, presenting from the Athletes’ village in Paris for the upcoming Paralympics.
Channel 4 insiders have revealed that preparations are underway for Rose’s debut, with rehearsals already in motion and discussions about potential studio adaptations for her live presenting duties.
A source disclosed to The Mirror: “Channel 4 are really excited about this unique pairing of Clare and Rose.
“It’s a first for the Channel and takes its live broadcasting accessibility further than ever before.”
They added: “Rose has already done some rehearsals whilst Clare has been busy covering Wimbledon for the BBC, but we are excited by seeing them work together on screen and we are confident viewers will love them together too.”
Joining the pair on the broadcast team will be Ellie Simmonds, the five-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist and BAFTA-winner.
She will be making her Channel 4 presenting debut, alongside Ade Adepitan, who is a familiar face on screens and a former wheelchair basketball athlete.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games coverage on Channel 4 is set to be expansive, featuring multiple studios and iconic locations throughout Paris.
This includes the Stade De France, La Defense Arena, the Athletes’ Village, Paralympics GB House, and the Pont Alexandre III.
Rose, who triumphed on Strictly last year, delivered a powerful speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2022, urging the industry to step up its game for deaf and disabled representation.
At the festival, she shared: “I have to break through countless barriers… It’s been a lonely, upsetting journey, and whilst winning Strictly was an amazing experience, it shouldn’t be allowed to conceal the hardships I have been through to get here.”
The Eastenders star additionally touched on the pressures of being a trailblazer: “To hold the responsibility of being ‘the first deaf person’ can be a blessing, but it can also be a curse.
“I feel the whole weight of my community resting on my shoulders and trust me, it is heavy.”
In another stride for inclusion, deaf celebrity chef Yvonne Cobb has been making waves on BBC Morning Live as a regular TV chef, using British Sign Language on mainstream live TV, and made history as the first Deaf Female reporter for BBC News in 2022.