She is bowing out of the soap this autumn.
Following news that she is quitting the soap opera, actress Rose Ayling-Ellis from EastEnders tweeted a snapshot from her final day on set.
Since 2020, Rose has played Frankie Lewis on the BBC drama, making him the first deaf actor to do so.
Frankie will retire this fall as part of a “important” new plot, the soap opera said earlier this week. Rose has already started filming her last scenes.
Rose, the current Strictly winner, posted a sequence of images from EastEnders on Instagram, starting with one from her final day on set and concluding with the first image of Frankie, along with recollections like the day she had her first successful pint in the Queen Vic.
Being the first regular deaf performer on @bbceastenders has been really amazing, commented Rose. “I have enjoyed my time on the show, and playing Frankie has been a blast, but it feels like the appropriate time to move on, and I am eager and prepared for new challenges.
“I will always cherish my time on the show and all the fantastic individuals I’ve worked with, who have supported my development as an actor these last two years and given me so many incredible experiences,” the actor said.
Rose said she was “eager for audiences to watch Frankie’s leaving narrative” in a statement announcing her departure from the soap opera, adding: “I think it’s a really significant one that will hit home for lots of people.”
Chris Clenshaw, executive producer of EastEnders, also lauded the actress, saying: “Rose has always been a tremendous asset to EastEnders, not just as a fantastic actor but also as an excellent company member, even though I have only had the pleasure of working with her for a short period of time.
“Rose has distinguished herself as a member of the Carter family in significant stories, such as learning she is Mick Carter’s daughter as a result of child abuse, and she will soon take on the crucial topic of spotlighting women’s safety on the streets.
Rose is a great trailblazer, and we at EastEnders are so proud of everything she has accomplished. We wish her nothing but the best.
