Strictly Come Dancing star, Rose Ayling-Ellis, has landed a new and exciting role in a landmark ITV crime thriller. The actress will star in a "groundbreaking lead role" in a six-part series called Code of Silence on ITV this summer. According to the channel, Ayling-Ellis will play the character of Alison Brooks, a" smart and determined" deaf woman. The actress will be joined by an impressive ensemble cast, including Charlotte Ritchie who starred in Netflix's You and BBC's Ghosts, Broadchurch and Black Doves actor Andrew Buchan as well as Kieron Moore, who also appeared in Vampire Academy and Masters of the Air. The synopsis for the upcoming ITV series reads: "At the heart of the series is Alison Brooks (Rose Ayling-Ellis), a smart and determined Deaf woman. Having spent years working in a police canteen and secretly observing conversations, her life takes an unexpected turn when her exceptional lip-reading skills catch the attention of DS Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie) and DI James Marsh (Andrew Buchan). For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter. "Recruited for a covert operation, Alison is tasked with surveilling a dangerous gang as they plot a high-stakes heist, thrusting her into a world of crime, deception, and risk like never before. As she deciphers their secret exchanges, Alison becomes an invaluable asset to the case, but the deeper she gets, the more perilous her role becomes. "When she crosses paths with Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore), the gang's newest recruit, an unexpected and dangerous bond forms between them, one that threatens to expose her true identity while pulling her further into the criminal world. Juggling the pressures of undercover work, family struggles, and the fallout of a long-term relationship, Alison must navigate a world of deception and danger, testing her resilience and ultimately reshaping her life forever." Code of Silence has been created by Catherine Moulton, who also wrote episodes for BBC's drama Baptiste and Apple TV's Hijack. According to ITV, Moulton has drawn on her own experiences with lip-reading and hearing loss for the series. The series' lead director is Diarmuid Goggins, who also worked on the popular Irish drama Kin, with director Chanya Button, who has worked on Doctor Who in the past, also overseeing the latter half of the series. Rose Ayling-Ellis rose to fame when she appeared as Franke Lewis in BBC's soap opera Eastenders between 2020 and 2022. The character was created to raise awareness for deaf people in the UK. The actress then went on to appear as the first deaf contestant of Strictly Come Dancing's 19th series when she was partnered up with Giovanni Pernice in 2021. She stole the nation's heart when she and Giovanni performed a beautiful, silent dance to the song Symphony - a performance which won the BAFTA Must-See Moment award. The couple went on to win the dancing competition too. Rose was born deaf and has used her platform to advocate and raise awareness for the deaf community in the UK. Code of Silence will premiere on ITV and ITVX on Sunday, May 18.