Rose Ayling-Ellis to become first celebrity to sign CBeebies Bedtime Story

EastEnders actress and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis will be the first person to deliver a CBeebies Bedtime Story in British Sign Language (BSL) on Sunday, the BBC has announced.

Airing on the last day of this year’s Deaf Awareness Week, Rose will read ‘Can Bears Ski’ by poet Raymond Antrobus, with illustrations from Polly Dunbar – both of whom are also deaf.

Commenting on the news, Rose said: “I am super excited to read my first CBeebies Bedtime Story in British Sign Language and it’s even more wonderful to share a story written by a deaf writer. I hope deaf children enjoy the story and it inspires hearing children to want to learn BSL more!”

The story – which will also be subtitled – explores “how isolating it can be for a deaf child in a hearing world” based on Raymond’s own experiences. It will be the first of two stories which Rose will read for the children’s channel.

In a post on Instagram, Polly said she was “quite beside myself with excitement”.

The announcement comes on the same day Raymond revealed the book has been adapted for the stage, with Deafinitely Theatre and Pied Piper Theatre touring the production across the UK next year.

Rose’s reading of ‘Can Bears Ski’ will air on Sunday 8 May at 6:50pm.

Photo: BBC.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.