Rose Ayling-Ellis is to be the first celebrity to sign a CBeebies bedtime story

Rose Ayling-Ellis is to become the first celebrity to sign a CBeebies bedtime story on Sunday as she hopes it will inspire children to learn British Sign Language (BSL).

The Strictly Come Dancing champion, who has been deaf since birth, will tell the tale Can Bears Ski? in BSL, to mark Deaf Awareness Week.

The EastEnders actress, 27, said she hopes the book will inspire children to learn to sign as she will only speak twice throughout the show. 

Rose will speak once at the beginning to introduce the story which follows a young bear who draws on the author’s own experience to show how it feels to be deaf in a hearing world. 

The second time she will wish the young viewers goodnight but there will also be subtitles to allow everyone to understand. 

The actress looked glamorous as she beamed holding up a teddy bear in a purple flowered cardigan. 

Inspiring: The Strictly Come Dancing champion, who has been deaf since birth, will tell the tale Can Bears Ski? in BSL, to mark Deaf Awareness Week

Can Bears Ski? was written by Raymond Antrobus and illustrated by Polly Dunbar, and follows the journey of a son and father as they discover and manage deafness.

Rose said: “I am super excited to read my first CBeebies bedtime story in British Sign Language and it’s even more wonderful to share a story written by a deaf writer.

“I hope deaf children enjoy the story and it inspires hearing children to want to learn BSL more.”

The show: Rose will only speak twice throughout the programme, once at the start to introduce the book and once at the end to bid viewers goodnight

The actress has actively campaigned for BSL to be recognised as an official language and to be given legal status in the UK.

Her story will air tonight to mark the end of Deaf Awareness Week, and will be the first of two stories she has recorded for CBeebies.

Other readers of the CBeebies Bedtime Story have included Dolly Parton, Tom Hardy and Ed Sheeran – who read a story about a boy with a stutter, as he did as a child.

The EastEnders actress, 27, said she hopes the book will inspire children to learn to sign as she will only speak twice throughout the show

Even the royal family have been involved in the popular children’s TV show when the Duchess of Cambridge became the first royal to present the show earlier this year.

CBeebies Bedtime Stories airs daily at 18:50, with episodes signed by a BSL interpreter shown every Saturday and Sunday.

Last month, Rose is said to be honoured by Her Majesty The Queen and may potentially be awarded an MBE for her hard work in raising awareness for the deaf community.  

And According to the Mirror, Rose is now said to be named as a recipient of a Member of the Order British Empire in HM, the Queen’s birthday honours list. 

A source said: ‘She is now in the frame for a gong for services to the deaf community, thanks to her ballroom triumph on the BBC’s Strictly. 

‘Her performances – including one with a silent section – sent enrolments for sign-language courses soaring.’

A source also told the publication ‘Her success on Strictly shone a light on the deaf community in a way that surpassed everyone’s expectations. Not only did she raise awareness about the challenges deaf people face, she was a true inspiration for them – particularly young people. She really did break down boundaries.’ 

Not long to wait: Her story will air tonight to mark the end of Deaf Awareness Week, and will be the first of two stories she has recorded for CBeebies which will air on Sunday