Rose Ayling-Ellis made her Loose Women debut on Wednesday to rave reviews from viewers.
The Strictly champ appeared as a panellist on the ITV daytime show in a special episode for Deaf Awareness Week.
For the first time ever the show was fully accessible with a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter on screen and in the studio.
There were also subtitled adverts during the commercial break from HSL, Cadburys Fingers, McCains, Boots Hearingcare and Aldi.
Along with a host of Loose Women topics, the former EastEnders star, who was joined by panellists Kaye Adams, Jane Moore and Nadia Sawalha, discussed loneliness in the deaf community and the importance of seeking help for hearing loss early on.
Speaking about what it was like growing up deaf, she said: “I didn’t have anyone to look up to on a TV and when I did it was normally really early in the morning that they’d have the interpreter on.
"It wasn’t exposed much and it should have been a lot more..."
However, she said she wouldn’t change being deaf for the world. “If someone offered me the chance to become hearing, I would say no,” she insisted.
“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,” she continued. “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.”
Delighted viewers took to social media to praise the show and call for the star’s return as a guest panellist.
One wrote: “How great was @RoseAylingEllis on Loose Women today! What an amazing panellist. Let’s have her on more often, she’s an absolute breath of fresh air not to mention an inspiration!”
Another said: “@loosewomen can you please have rose ayling Ellis back on the show soon she was brilliant,” while a third echoed the sentiment, writing: “Rose should become a regular panellist on #loosewomen.”
A fourth commented: “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.”
The three hosts also said they had learnt a lot from the chat.
