Rose Ayling-Ellis thanks Claudia Winkleman for getting her a job on Doctor Who
She said: 'Doctor Who was on my bucket list.
'I really wanted to be on it, I saw Russell T Davies at an awards ceremony and Claudia Winkleman forced me to speak to him.
'So it's thanks to Claudia that I got the job.
'It was already written, so they changed it to make her a deaf character, but that's great.
'I don't want every character to be defined by their deafness.'
in the interview, Ayling-Ellis also shared her concerns over government welfare cuts to disability benefits announced earlier this year.
She explained: 'My big issue at the moment is the cuts to disability benefit, that's such an important issue for so many people.
'There's a lot of fear around.
'Rather than making cuts, they need to support disabled people better.
'People making (benefit) assessments need to have better disability awareness.
'I remember mine years ago, they wanted a telephone call to assess my need for Disability Living Allowance.
'I'm deaf, I can't hear you on the phone, and if I'd talked through an interpreter, they would say I can live independently and I'd have got nothing.'
The ex-EastEnders star is now preparing to take on the lead role in ITV detective thriller Code Of Silence, which she is also an executive producer on.
Speaking about her new role, she said: 'I'm not doing the producer job because I'm famous or whatever, I'm doing it because I'm deaf and I do all this extra work anyway.
'Every single project I do, I have to be the one saying, 'can we make sure we do this?', I always get that responsibility.
'So I wanted to be involved from the beginning of the process and not leave it all until the first day on set.'
The full interview with Ayling-Ellis can be found in this week's Big Issue, available from local vendors, and online at bigissue.com.
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Narinder, who is best known as an ex-Big Brother contestant, took to X immediately to complain about the news that he is to be on the show as she claimed she had been deemed 'too controversial' for it herself. She said: "Apparently I was deemed too controversial for @bbcstrictly because they only hire quiet brown and black women that fit in a box. But you can be a white man AND be controversial and you'll be hired on the spot! Hello Thomas Skinner!! #BBCStrictly your unconscious bias and prejudicial views against British brown women is disgraceful." In an accompanying video, Narinder added that she was 'raging' with the broadcaster for the actions as she pointed out his criminal past. She said: "They wouldn't take me on, we approached them and they said that I was too controversial. They put brown women and black women on who are quiet because that's the kind of brown and black woman their audience likes. "But God forbid you're a brown woman who has some opinions, then they'll never take you on. But if white man, Thomas Skinner, proud patriot, Thomas Skinner, of the online right, who has got a criminal past, they'll take you on!" He soon responded: "Narinder, I respect that you stand up for what you believe in, not everyone's got the guts to do that. Yes, I've got a past, but I'm not here to divide people. "I'm just trying to get people to believe in themselves and realise they can do more than they think. Life can be so much better when you let happiness in and don't always be angry towards others. If I've ever upset you, I'm sorry… that's never been my intention. I wish ya nothing but peace, happiness, and a life you can truly enjoy. Bosh." Strictly Come Dancing backlash Since the announcement of Tom joining the Strictly line-up, he was met with a lot of backlash online. As the news was shared on Strictly's official Instagram page, one viewer wrote: "A disgusting booking on a show that seemingly celebrates inclusivity and diversity." Another show fan said: "I cannot believe you're platforming this guy." While a third added: "Awful choice" followed by two green faced emoji. Tom has since responded to the backlash on his X page as he tweeted: "They say don't read the comments on social media. But I couldn't help myself. I've had absolute pellets all day on my instagram lost about going on strictly." He then shared a link to Instagram as he went on: "Have a look at some of these on Instagram …. Why are some people so angry that don't even know me. Not Bosh." In a later post, Tom revealed why he thinks he's been branded a controversial signing to the show. He wrote: "Good morning you lovely people!! Big day today! It's the first day filming for Strictly! Buzzing for it, proud as anything, but the reason I'm up and out the door at 2.30am is because I've got to get all my normal work done beforehand! "I have had so much love on here btw, just wanted to say thank you for all the support. Some call me 'controversial,' but I think it's just a dig at normal, hard-working people if I'm honest. But we don't let that stop us. We keep going, we look out for each other, and we use it to drive us forward. I would absolutely LOVE to be able to sleep in bed till about 6 or 7, but with 3 kids, a lovely home, and a wife who's in Marks & Spencer four times a week, I've got to keep the wheels turning! "So whatever's in your way today, don't let it slow ya down. Back yaself and back each other, and keep smiling whilst ya do it. I'll be having a pint later this evening in my local…..so if you are around that area. Beers on me. Have a blinding day everyone. Bosh". Family life The Strictly Come Dancing star regularly shares updates of his family life on social media. Tom is married to wife Sinéad Chambers and the couple, who wed in May 2022, share three children together. Tom and Sinéad first welcomed son Henry in October 2020 and also share twin daughter's Darla and Roma, who were born in June 2023. He regularly shares snaps of his family life on Instagram featuring his wife and two children. Earlier this week, he posted a sweet snap of his family of five as they took a trip to Blenheim Palace where he shared a photo of his clan and wrote on the Instagram share: "We had the most beautiful afternoon walking around the amazing Blenheim Palace. The architecture is simply stunning and the history was incredible. Kids absolutely loved it too. Great family day out. Bosh". Sinéad responded with a gushing comment which read: "Making memories with our little family is my favourite". As well as sharing snaps from family days out, he also gives fans a glimpse inside his home as she shared a video of himself prepping his Sunday roast dinner earlier this month. He wrote in the caption: "Happy Sunday you lovely people. My favourite day of the week and it's a Skinner tradition. A big old roast dinner, and look at this stunning bit of sirloin beef from me local butcher, all me veg from the local farm shop and we are gonna feast on this, going to enjoy a nice can of thatchers whilst I cook. Sending love to you are yours. Have a wonderful one. Bosh". Tom previously revealed his motivation for 'working so hard' as he shared photos of his family at Christmas time. He wrote in a tweet: "This is why i work so hard. I'm so lucky to have 3 beautiful children, Henry, Darla & Roma! I love them so much. I will give them everything in life and will teach them manors, respect, kindness and love. My little ones will learn that anything you dream in life can be achieved with hard work and persistence. My wonderful wife Sinéad & I are double proud parents. Bosh". The Apprentice "I always think back to where I was in my life many years ago; Selling knocked off goods, sleeping on a fold out bed on the floor downstairs and driving a clapped out £500 van," Skinner once told The Sun as he discussed his rise to fame. The star was thrust into the spotlight when he appeared on The Apprentice in 2019, lasting all the way to the quarter-finals. At the time, he was the owner of The Fluffy Pillow Company, which sold beds, mattresses and memory foam pillows of his design. He applied to the show after his girlfriend of the time convinced him to but was fired by Lord Alan Sugar in week nine.
