Interview with Rose Ayling-Ellis ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Channel 4

27 August 2024

We sat down with Rose Ayling-Ellis ahead of Channel 4's coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Why did you want to get involved with Channel 4’s coverage of Paris 2024 Paralympic Games?  
I really wanted to be involved in the Paralympics because I think it’s really exciting to have a deaf person presenting a live TV show. That is another perception to break people’s barriers of understanding what we can do, and that is the whole point of the Paralympics.  

What do the Paralympics mean to you? 
I think that the Paralympics is a great opportunity to show people what us disabled people can do. It breaks people’s barriers of understanding what we are capable of. Really, though, we shouldn’t be trying to prove this to people.  

You’re going to be the first deaf presenter to host a sports programme live on British TV. What does that mean to you?  
It is really exciting that I am the first deaf person to host a live sports TV show. People seem to think that hosting a show is also to do with hearing, but now I'm here to prove that doesn’t have to be.  

This is also your first-time hosting in general, are you excited?  
It is my first time! I have already had lots of training. It is hard, I didn’t realise how hard it is. I did panic a bit and think ‘what have I signed up for?’ But I really love it. I’m really enjoying it. I’m so excited to be doing it! 

You’re also going to be co-hosting your show with Clare Balding, what are you hoping you’ll learn from each other? 
It is such a privilege that I'll be hosting with Clare Balding. She is such a legend, so for me to spend two weeks with her every day, I feel like it’s a crash course and PHD in hosting!  

What are you most looking forward to about Paris 2024? 
I am really looking forward to watching the Games. To see the atmosphere. I can’t wait to see what can be achieved. To see swimming winning the gold, the rugby or the horses! I’m really excited to watch it all.

The Paralympic Games gives athletes an opportunity to share their inspirational stories. Are you hoping to be able to dig into some of these stories?
I’m really excited to meet some of the athletes and hear their stories. I want to feel like they can share their story and what they’ve gone through. But I don’t want it to become an inspirational story so everyone else feels better about their lives. No, it’s for everyone to learn from and understand more about disability and that this is all just normal.  

You have achieved so much in your career so far and now adding this to your list of accomplishments is a big deal. What do you want to take away from it?  
That’s a big question. My career so far has been quite mad and this is another job for me to challenge myself really. It is such a big challenge. No one deaf has ever done this before. I think I'm addicted to being the first of doing something and that is what I want to do.    

We can’t forget you’re going to be in Paris! Have you been before? What’s your favourite thing to do?  
I’ve been to Paris loads. My favourite thing in Paris is to just walk around and look at some of the beautiful buildings. I don’t like doing the touristy stuff, but I love going up to the Sacré-Cœur to see the view of Paris.  

In your downtime from hosting duties, what do you hope you’ll be able to get up to? Anything to tick off the bucket list?  
When I'm not hosting, I want to watch the Games. That is a bucket list – how many people can say they’ve been to the Paralympic Games? That is what I'm going to do in my spare time. And also sleep and eat.    

How is your French? Can you give us your best phrase? 
I can say, Bonjour, je m’appelle Rose. Ça va? My name, Rose, means pink in French. The French confuse me for the singer Pink! 

Stream and watch live on Channel 4 all day, every day from Wednesday 28th August to Sunday 8th September