Loose Women viewers were left issuing a plea to the show's bosses as Rose Ayling Ellis made her first appearance as a panellist. The former EastEnders actress was welcomed onto the ITV lunchtime show as a guest panellist as opposed to a guest in a special show to mark Deaf Awareness Week.
Rose, who played Frankie Lewis in the BBC One soap, joined Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore in a first for Loose Women, as viewers were able to watch a fully accessible version of the show on ITV1 and ITVX, with an 'in vision' signer on-screen and subtitles available.
Rose was also joined by her own interpreter on the panel and the audience also featured deaf viewers. And there were moments of silence as the usual applause from the live audience was replaced with the signed version for clapping.
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During the episode, the Loose Women discussed the subject of loneliness in the Deaf community and whether it is still taboo to admit you are losing your hearing, as well as other Loose Women topics.
Opening up about mental health issues among the Deaf community, Rose said: "One in four hearing people have mental health but one in two deaf people have mental health issues." She added: "That probably comes from isolation, not being included."
Talking about her own experience, she explained: "A lot of people assume that your problem is that you can't hear. Ok, we can’t hear but that’s not the problem. I love that I can’t hear. But it’s more the attitude. For example, with customer service on the phone, it’s really difficult.
"I can call them through my interpreter so I’m making adaptations to make them work with me, but when you do, they just think you’re a scammer or hacker and hang up on you. That is kind of a metaphor for what’s hard. It’s that I’m doing all the work to adapt but can’t you just meet me halfway? When you don’t meet me halfway, I feel more isolated… I want to sort out my banking and I’m doing all the work."
The Strictly Come Dancing 2021 winner, who lifted the Glitterball trophy with Giovanni Pernice and was the first-ever deaf contestant to take part in the hit dance show, added: “If someone offered me the chance to become hearing, I would say no. I love being deaf. It’s a part of who I am.
"Would my career have happened if I wasn’t deaf? I think a lot of hearing people could learn a lot from deaf people. I think deaf people know how to communicate well. People think that listening is through your ear but actually, there are so many ways to communicate. It’s a culture and a community, and it’s something I belong to. When you try to fit me to make me more hearing, I don’t belong to it. I never will. So instead of trying to help me overcome my deafness, let me embrace my deafness."
And Loose Women viewers were thrilled with the changes to the show and demanded it happen more often. @lindaswalford tweeted: "PLEASE give rose a permanent panellist role!! she’s so funny and also is so inspiring to not just the deaf community but to ALL of us #LooseWomen."
@cookmandy said: "Rose needs to be a permanent panellist on #loosewomen. A refreshing change." @kellymcc5 posted: "Rose should become a regular panellist on #loosewomen." @HowlinMad3 praised: "What an inspiring young woman Rose is, the way she speaks for herself and represents so many in the deaf community is heart warming and amazing. #LooseWomen."
Loose Women’s special for Deaf Awareness Week episode was set up with the support of charities RNID, who make life fully inclusive for Deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus, SignHealth who are working towards improving earlier intervention mental health and well-being support and resources for Deaf children and young people, and the Deaf Talent Collective a consultancy service working with Deaf talent, casting directors, producers and creative professionals in TV and Film.
All of the charities involved offered advice and guidance to bring the episode together and the show's audience was made up of the Deaf community, along with family and friends. BSL signers and live captions were also available to the live audience in the studio. Those watching the show live on ITV1 would have also witnessed an exclusive ad break takeover, with subtitled adverts appearing from HSL, Cadburys Fingers, McCains, Boots Hearingcare and Aldi in the centre break.
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