Rose Ayling-Ellis is to play a character recruited by police to use her lip-reading skills to uncover the conversations of criminals in a new ITV drama.

The 28-year-old actress, who is known for her role in long-running soap EastEnders, was the first deaf contestant to take part in Strictly Come Dancing and she went on to lift the glitterball trophy.

Ayling-Ellis, who competed on the celebrity dance show with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice in 2021, will now star in new crime drama Code Of Silence.

She said: “When I first read Catherine Moulton’s script it was obvious that her first-hand experiences and understanding has enabled her to write a truly authentic character and I knew I had to be a part of this project.

“I am so delighted ITV are as excited as we are to bring this to life and I can’t wait to get to started.”

Ayling-Ellis will play a deaf catering worker, called Alison Woods, who to make ends meet works in both a police canteen and a local bar and cares for her deaf mother.

Woods then becomes key to a police investigation when she translates a criminal gang’s conversations as she finds herself drawn to one of the main suspects, the announcement said.

Writer Moulton, who has worked on Baptiste and Then You Run, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to combine my love of tense, twisty thrillers with my experience of lip reading and hearing loss, and all in a show for ITV.

“I can’t imagine a more perfect Alison than Rose and I will do my best to make sure the story keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.”

The six-part thriller is executively produced by Tom Leggett and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen alongside Moulton.

The drama will premiere on ITV and will be available on ITVX.