Watch: Rose Ayling-Ellis stars in official Winter Paralympics film

EastEnders actress and Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis has been revealed as the star of a new film promoting the Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

The Deaf performer, who lifted up the glitter ball with dance partner Giovanni Pernice in December, shared the video on her social media channels on Friday – the same day the international sporting contest got underway.

She wrote: “The Paralympic Games start today! I wish Team GB [the] biggest good luck!

“Thank you [C4 Paralympics] for having me!”

Posting the video on their platforms, Deaf Talent Collective – the consultancy service – added: “DTC was delighted to be a part of The Winter Paralympics opening Film. DTC supplied [British Sign Language] consultancy and interpreters to work alongside Rose.

“Good luck to Team GB.”

In the three-minute long opening film, Rose can be seen signing against blue and red lights as she voices over: “You can paint the scene in all the colours of China, but this is a cold world. A hard place.

“You can warm the air with the steam from a thousand mouths, but here, ice rules. Snow sets the stage.

“The lower the mercury, the better.”

She continues: “You can break the silence of the mountains with a roar, but still hear the cracks, the cut of a single edge. The sound of steel on the sheen of glazed porcelain, or the granite-paced rumble on ice.

“Teams at work. The puck, the pack, or the solo artist – out there alone, heartbeat racing, legs shaking, frozen, rock-steady.

Later, when Rose’s voiceover fades out, she can be seen signing: “Imagine, though, what it is to not see the target, or to come at this from darkness, with only trust, faith in a mate to guide you.

“However we see it, this is a sport for the most fearless.

“The Winter Paralympics. The most courageous, in the world at its coldest.”

You can watch the full video below:

This is the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games ❄#C4WinterParalympics | #Beijing2022 | @RoseAylingEllis pic.twitter.com/09DzfQ2FDF

— C4 Paralympics (@C4Paralympics) March 4, 2022

The release of the video comes on the same day that Channel 4, who will broadcast the Games, announced its subtitling commitments for the sporting contest and 2022.

The Winter Paralympics runs from 4-13 March.

Photo: Channel 4.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.