Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis unveils exciting new project and fans are obsessed - 'about time!’

Rose Ayling-Ellis unveiled an exciting new project with Barbie and revealed that she has worked with Mattel to create the first barbie doll with a hearing aid.

Rose Ayling-Ellis was the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 champion with her partner Giovanni Pernice, and fans fell in love with the EastEnders actress. The star, who is deaf, delighted fans with an emotional dance routine that paid tribute to the deaf community with a moment of silence during the performance. 

Fans loved Rose and her work to support the deaf community and have adored her latest project. The actress announced on social media that she was delighted to say that she was helping to launch the new Barbie range of dolls with disabilities.  

"When @barbie told me they were bringing out a doll with a hearing aid, I was so excited. When I was little, I would draw hearing aids onto my Barbie dolls to make them look like me - now deaf children don’t have to!" said the actress in a heartfelt post.

“To celebrate this moment of representation, I took part in a photoshoot along with models that also have some of the differences you now see in the Barbie line. I’m so happy that children can see even more inclusion in toys now," continued the star.

Rose then explained which other dolls will be included in this diverse range. "The Barbie with a hearing aid, Ken doll with vitiligo, Barbie with a prosthetic limb and Barbie in a wheelchair are available from today all over the UK. I LOVE that @mattel is releasing more dolls that encourage kids to celebrate and embrace their differences!” said Rose.

Fans loved this emotional post from the star and many are excited about this new range of barbie dolls.

"Fantastic and about time, they have been wearing glasses for ages!" said one commenter who was delighted to see this representation. “Love this! Positive representation for all children is so important," said another.

Other fans commented that this was yet another way that the Strictly star was working towards deaf representation. "Rose Ayling-Ellis has done more for the deaf community & disabled awareness in a year than most do in a lifetime & she’s such a lovely, genuine girl with a positive attitude," said another complimentary fan.

Rose is not the only star who has recently aligned herself with Mattel's barbie range. Previously, Barbie releases an Eleanor Roosevelt doll in honor of International Women’s Day. 

Similarly, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee, a Queen Barbie doll was released and Mattel said this doll was released in the hopes to inspire young women. "Since 1959, the Barbie brand’s purpose has been to inspire the limitless potential in every girl and remind them they can be anything. That message has never been more relevant than it is today," said Mattel.