Matthew Muir: Rose Ayling-Ellis’s speech is a wake-up call to TV producers

Rose Ayling-Ellis. First deaf regular to appear in a soap opera. First deaf contestant and winner of Strictly Come Dancing. First deaf person to make The Alternative McTaggart speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival. She is an icon for the deaf community.

Four minutes into the lecture, Ayling-Ellis said: “I am scared to be the deaf actress standing here, telling you, the most powerful people in this industry, the way you have made my job difficult.”

One word. Goosebumps. The courage to call out her employers can’t have been easy. This speech is the truth and nothing but the truth. It’s a golden opportunity for the TV industry to sit up, take notice and realise they have a lot to learn.

Ayling-Ellis has portrayed Frankie Lewis in EastEnders since 2020 and is set to depart the soap this autumn. The BBC drama gained plaudits for making history by casting the first deaf regular and deservedly so.

She said: “They really made sure that every day was accessible for me. I always had an interpreter, they created a deaf awareness video for every new person, as well as trying to set up BSL classes.” That’s great, however, it’s just disappointing those were the only positives.

Ayling-Ellis admitted how she felt “torn” when scripts weren’t written for her by deaf writers, meaning she was portraying “a deaf character that was written as a hearing person or as a deaf stereotype.”

So, if there were no deaf writers, then who was trying to fix the problem? She was, but the changes weren’t being “added to the scripts.” That’s wrong, but unfortunately, having to be the ‘problem-solver’ is an all too familiar feeling for deaf people. We shouldn’t have to, but we do. It’s called being unheard.

Having said that, there have been improvements. But, it shouldn’t have taken that long for Ayling-Ellis to have been welcomed into the writing room.

The Strictly winner expressed how positive her experience was on the dance show, which is pleasing to hear. They brought in a deaf consultant, they set up deaf awareness training and they amended live subtitles. Those are prime examples of what needs to be in place behind the scenes and on television. That’s what makes us feel heard.

However, if you asked someone, do you know another deaf actor? The answer would probably be no. Ayling-Ellis posed the question to TV bosses of why they haven’t searched for more deaf talent since she won the Glitterball.

She obviously isn’t the only deaf actor. So, find more, give them a platform and push for more inclusivity across the board.

There’s something fundamentally wrong with the way the TV industry operates. If producers start working with more deaf actors and stop writing how they perceive us, only then will there be change. The sooner the better.

Shared with thanks to City Live.

Matthew Muir is a journalism student at City of Glasgow College and is moderately-severely deaf. He is Sports Editor of the college’s student website, City Live and reports for Clyde Football Club. Matthew can be found via. Twitter.