Loose Women viewers beg 'please' as Rose Ayling Ellis joins panel and makes massive change to show
03.05.2023 - 15:23
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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