Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks

Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks (2025- )

To Be DeterminedDocumentary show

Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks follows Rose as she sets out to prove it's never too late to learn and embarks on a bold and heartfelt mission to transform the lives of a group of retirees by teaching them BSL. Her goal is to explore whether BSL can enhance their quality of life, deepen connections and combat the isolation that often comes with hearing loss.

Network

Last Episode

Episode 2
Season 1Episode 258 min

Episode 2

Rose Ayling-Ellis arrives at Hughenden Gardens Retirement Village on a bold and heartfelt mission – to teach British Sign Language (BSL) to a group of retirees in just six weeks. Her goal is to explore whether BSL can enhance their quality of life, deepen connections and combat the isolation that often comes with hearing loss.

The students – some well into their nineties – embrace the challenge with enthusiasm, despite the hurdles of learning a new language at a later stage of life. To support their journey, Rose enlists the help of her friend, charismatic teacher Marios Costi. As the lessons progress, the group begin to share their life stories in an entirely new way.

For 92-year-old Eric, the experience extends beyond the classroom as he starts teaching his great-grandchildren some signs. His daughter observes that the classes are ‘taking ten years off him'. Meanwhile, Sue, who is losing her sight, expresses frustration with the word 'disabled', struggling with being seen as different. Rose hopes to shift perspectives, so she takes the group to one of her favourite places – the Jewish Deaf Association in London. Here, the residents witness a vibrant, thriving deaf community that challenges their preconceptions. Sue has a powerful breakthrough when she meets Michael, a deafblind man whose radiant positivity changes her outlook on life.

As the group immerse themselves in the world of BSL, they embark on a journey that is not just about learning a language but about discovering new ways to connect, communicate and embrace life with renewed confidence and joy.

The episode's finale is a signing karaoke night in celebration of the residents' progress. Keith wows the room, Eric serenades June with a love song, and Pam gets the whole room sign-singing along!

Mar 26, 2025

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E02Episode 2Mar 26, 2025
S01E01Episode 1Mar 26, 2025
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

Rose Ayling-Ellis

Rose Ayling-Ellis

plays herself
View all cast

Characters

Presenter

Presenter

played by Rose Ayling-Ellis
View all characters

Also known as

  • Signs for Living with Rose Ayling-Ellis

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
The Red King
Running

The Red King

Smart, capable and by the book Grace Narayan was flying high as an inner-city police sergeant before being forced into a 'punishment posting' on the small, antiquated island of St. Jory. Confronted by the forgotten and unsolved case of missing teenage boy Cai, Grace quickly discovers that she must overcome scarce evidence, extraordinary local characters, and the island's strange cult history to uncover the truth. The Red King is a character-driven mystery-thriller, that combines the powerful story of a knotty police investigation with chilling, atmospheric folk-horror through the island's eerie past devotion to a pagan God called the Red King and the cult of the True Way.

GenreCrime, Thriller, Mystery
Alone Australia
Running

Alone Australia

Follow ten brave Australians who are dropped in the merciless Tasmanian wilderness, completely isolated from the world and each other, stripped of modern possessions, contact and comforts, to self-document their experience. Who will survive the longest?

GenreAdventure, Nature
Family Guy
Running

Family Guy

Family Guy follows Peter Griffin the endearingly ignorant dad, and his hilariously offbeat family of middle-class New Englanders in Quahog, RI. Lois is Peter's wife, a stay-at-home mom with no patience for her family's antics. Then there are their kids: 18-year-old Meg is an outcast at school and the Griffin family punching bag; 13-year-old Chris is a socially awkward teen who doesn't have a clue about the opposite sex; and one-year-old Stewie is a diabolically clever baby whose burgeoning sexuality is very much a work in progress. Rounding out the Griffin household is Brian the family dog and a ladies' man who is one step away from AA.

GenreComedy, Family
Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks
Running

Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks

Take a chilling look inside the homes of actual killers and meet their families. Also, get a peek at their prisons to hear from killers themselves, resulting in powerful, unsettling and contentious encounters.

GenreCrime
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?
Running

90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?

90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? catches up with some of the most memorable couples from 90 Day Fiancé as they now face the next chapter in their marriages. The frenzied countdown to the altar may be behind them, but the true drama is just starting to unfold as these newlyweds face life's challenges with someone they barely know.

GenreDrama, Romance
* This is an affiliate link. If you click and purchase, we will receive a commission from the provider. This will not incur any additional costs for you and you will support our project. We thank you for your support!