STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have heaped praise on Gorka Marquez after they spotted his sweet gesture to contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis.
The 26-year-old EastEnders actress made history in last night’s launch as the first ever deaf star to take to the ballroom.
Rose has an interpreter, who will remain off-camera while translating what is being said throughout the show into British Sign Language for her.
However, professional dancer Gorka decided to learn some BSL himself so that he can appropriately communicate with the actress – and eagle-eyed viewers noticed his efforts.
As Rose spoke to host Tess Daly about how honoured she is to be representing the deaf community on the hit show, the studio audience – including the pro dancers and their partners – erupted into applause.
But while everyone else clapped and whooped in the traditional sense, Gorka gestured with his hands and arms from his spot in the audience – the official sign language for applause.
Taking to social media, Strictly viewers were delighted by his subtle inclusivity, with one tweeting: “Honestly thought Gorka woulda been paired with Rose but what an absolute superstar he was signing applause rather than clapping.”
Another wrote: “I love that Gorka didn’t clap for Rose but signed ‘applause’ instead.”
A third agreed: “Gorka actually cheering correctly for Rose and Gio was amazing.”
One more praised the awareness as they shared: “Not me being surprised to see Gorka clapping properly… It’s everything.”
Rose was paired with Giovanni Pernice for the series, and explained that she will be learning the routines by counting the beats as Gio added that it’ll also depend on “muscle memory”.
Meanwhile, Gorka was partnered up with Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn.
