We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson - Ellie Goldstein on Strictly And The Hospital Conversation That Changed Everything

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Ellie Goldstein was once told she’d never walk or talk. Now she’s danced on Strictly and graced the cover of Vogue. Today, she shares how she proved them all wrong. Ellie is a model, dancer, and author. She’s worked with Vogue, Gucci, and Adidas, and made history on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. She’s now helping to change how people see learning disabilities in fashion and media. Her mum, Yvonne, shares the powerful beginning of Ellie’s story. She talks about how doctors broke the news, how they were left alone in a hospital room, and the moment a nurse said, “The last mother who had one of these left it here. Do you want to do that?” Together, they explain: ◽How Strictly changed Ellie’s life - and why she still trains with Vito  ◽How Vito became more than a dance partner - he’s now family ◽Being ignored by model agencies - to becoming cover star of Vogue ◽Why spray tans and dance became her happy place ◽What she tells young people with learning disabilities chasing their dreams ◽The biggest myths about Down syndrome - and how Ellie proves them wrong ◽ How it felt meeting Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo ◽The powerful moment she looked in the mirror and said “you’re perfect” Ellie Goldstein, We Need To Talk. If you want to learn more about learning disabilities, check out these resources from learning disability charity Mencap https://g2ul0.app.link/HGSUr97VyYb Mencap Mythbusters: https://g2ul0.app.link/xtvN8U4VyYb Follow me here: https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk  https://www.tiktok.com/@weneedtotalkpod  Follow Ellie here: Instagram: https://g2ul0.app.link/bEaYsyOWyYb Portfolio: https://g2ul0.app.link/j1U27nSWyYb  (00:00) Intro (02:09) What Ellie Loved Most About Her Time on 'Strictly Come Dancing' (03:38) Ellie's Relationship With Her Dance Partner Vito (08:56) Paul, Ellie and Yvonne Watch Ellie's Cha Cha Cha (10:48) Paul Gives Ellie a Surprise Gift (13:21) The Reaction to Ellie Being on Strictly (14:40) How Ellie Dealt With Comments From the Judges (15:28) Support From the Strictly Production Team (16:09) Paul Shows Ellie a Message From Surprise Strictly Judge (18:42) Ellie's Favourite Dance on Strictly (19:09) Who Ellie Wants to Win Strictly (19:32) Ellie and Vito's Pre-Performance Rituals (20:39) Ellie's Advice to Anyone Facing Challenges (21:15) Aura Frames Ad (22:16) Shopify Ad (23:17) When Ellie First Felt Like a Model (23:47) Ellie's Statue on the Southbank (24:27) Ellie's Gucci Campaign (26:46) How Ellie Started Out in Modelling (28:46) Ellie's Vogue Cover (32:01) Meeting Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (35:07) Ellie's Books (37:14) Yvonne Shares the Story of Ellie's Birth (45:33) Down Syndrome Statistics (45:59) Yvonne on How Her Experience Could Have Been Better (49:09) How Yvonne Told Ellie About Her Condition (50:18) What Yvonne and Ellie Appreciate About Each Other (52:15) Quick Fire Questions for Ellie (53:17) Ellie's Work as a Mencap Ambassador (55:16) Paul's Takeaways Sponsored by: Shopify: https://www.shopify.co.uk/needtotalk   Aura Frames - https://auraframes.co.uk 'PAUL' for £45 off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Wonder I. Yeah. Oh my God. What did you love the most about Strickley? I love this place. I had the makeup. What else? Um, because he's got an adult world.

That actually made me cry. He just picked up on the belly really quickly. Could we talk about the early years? During the pregnancy, something didn't feel right. Went for another scan and she was literally stuck. So they decided, you need a cesarean. And the doctor scooped her out of the cot, held her in the air like this.

This is Ellie, she's got Down syndrome. She will never walk, talk or go to university. The last mother who had one of these, left it here. Do you want to do that? We need to talk about Down syndrome, especially to new parents. More importantly, just showing everyone out there that having Down syndrome, it doesn't stop. You both have instilled hope for so many people.

Let me gas you up fully. Go ahead. She said, go on, there. Here we go. I'm surprised for you. Are you ready? Before we dive into my conversation with Ellie and her mother Yvonne, we wanted to let you know we've taken steps to make this episode as accessible as possible.

That includes on-screen subtitles and a full transcript linked in the show notes. You'll also find helpful resources about learning disability. And if you enjoy the episode, I've got one small favor. Hit the bell icon and subscribe. It's the small things that make a huge impact. I can't tell you how much it helps us make this show and bring you powerful conversations each and every week. Ellie Goldstein?

Yeah. We need to talk. Nice. And Yvonne Goldstein. We need to talk. We do. Okay. All right.

So we're going to have a good time. Okay. So can we start with Strickley? Can we start with dancing? Yes. Let's start with this. What did you love the most about Strickley? And I think I could guess, but what did you love the most?

So I'd say that I love this space tennis. Every Friday you get spray tennis and it's so, so chilling and calming and calming. And the way I do it is so cool. It's play on it and so clever. It's great. Oh my gosh. I didn't know you would say that. Spray tans.

And hair, I had the makeup. Okay. Of course. I mean the characters I was in the live show. What else? I'm in my best life because, oh, I look the best guy in the world. So many people are going to say this is an ignorant question, but only because I've never used this. Tell me about a spray tan real quick.

Do you, because do you sleep in a spray tan? Yes. You do? It doesn't rub off? So I'm going with the Express Dark Tan. Express Dark Tan? Yes. There you go.

Does everyone on Strickley get a spray tan? Not everyone. Most. Amber had the tan. Then Alex had it. LaFraud had it. Obviously I had it. Ten we used to get like a set.

He's so hygiene. And he looked on the schedule every. I'm going to see who's having the top. And that's confident. Did anyone like keeping up outside? Did anyone on strictly get more tans than you? No.

Yeah. LaFour has about three. I had it every week. I had about week one up till... Oh no, a Halloween week they didn't do it. No, a week four. Yeah, because it's Halloween week.

Yeah, you didn't need it. All right, fair, fair. I've never met Vita. He looks very, very special. Yes. And it looked like, You were brother's sister. We are, brother sister.

Yes. Yes. Now, Yvonne, you must have been very happy with that relationship you saw with you. Yes. I think they just paired them more because of personalities. They were very similar. So I think that was very important to get the relationship right, isn't it? To tell you this now.

When I go to training, literally it boils up the room. You're like, so much. No question to you to like Can I want to tell him what I'm doing him today? Yes, yes. Well, I have many surprises for you here today. And I would like to show you a clip

and then let's talk about it. Okay? We are thinking how lucky we are to have each other and how grateful we are. And Alice said to me that she was a big cuddle from her big brother, which I'm having you give me a big big one. I don't want to tell you that I love you so much.

That would be true, Father. You know how much I love you? After and back. To what? To the sun and back. To the sun and back. And it's going to be for ever and ever. Yeah, before Ellie told me when I just arrived and we started, you said that you have got my heart in your heart.

Yeah, I got my heart. I got your heart in my heart. got your heart in my heart. So we have got each other's heart. Yeah. I love that. Oh, that actually made me cry when I watch that. Why? It's just him. He's just so... Oh, is that him? He's just a very special bond. Bond and a person and when we've been out and people have asked is Rita actually, as he seems, and I said he's better. He's right better for me. He's better than he comes, you know, it's all genuine. Because every night I get a voice messages from him,

it is so, so cute. And, honestly, I got rid of dog on Halloween week. I got rid of it, anyways. But it's fine, he's fine, I'm grateful. But it's like, I dance off. I was crying. You know what, they go out there and do it, and it was almost a judge here. So we did.

So they went to the bell, and we went home. I thought to say it was a bit too sad. Come on, Tiki. We did our bye-bye season, Melmelt dance, and I went, Eddie, Ellie, you can beat me up and come me. I was, I love with my sister. That was best.

You were very professional. Yes, yes. But also, Ellie, you just said that he, Vito, would leave you a voice note every night. Every, every night. And they still dies. I've still been training all last week. We've been training.

Yesterday. When he got eliminated, he says to me and everyone, we're going to get dark, I mean, yes we are. I'm going to get dogs in a court. Why is the dance we're doing? So they're learning the dances now that Ellie didn't get a chance to do.

Done a drive. Last week they learned. What did you go? Don't drive. I'm going to do more. Giggles, telling him about today's podcast and stuff. Love it. Yeah.

He's just very. Yeah, amazing man. He just picked up on all that really quickly. He never asked me anything about her. He just... He was able to pick it up. He seems to be, I think, what a lot of people don't realize with Strictly is that it's not only you dancing with a professional,

it's you learning from a professional. They are teaching you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it seems like he's a great teacher and or you're a great student. Because you were, Ellie, you were dancing. Yeah, our lifestyle every weekend. And now there's been a routine. Every live show, but when I have dinner, I cry.

I don't know why, but it's what happens every weekend. So now this is a routine. So before my dog, so I am nervous. And then when we go on the floor and like him, I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, I don't do it. And then say you're doing, say, there's such a char. And I'm on the catwalk. I'm like, why I got this, by the first,

rather, in the dance, I get into happy. After, I'm all relieved because we learn the dance, it's over. And then, this is good. Love Craig, he's a best guy ever, but I'm telling him. Oh my God, that's drama. We can't go there. We can't go there. I'm not going to go there. I had no idea how close you two. I mean, it looked like you were very,

You were very close, brother's sister, but now hearing he seems like you were inseparable. Yeah. Yeah. You know, he wanted that he came to support her. He came over and he's in our house and he's there for dinner and it all felt for him natural. Like we've known him forever. Which is beautiful. He's part of our family.

Yes. So, Alid, do you think you're a good dancer? I think I'm a good dancer, yes. Yeah, so I think there is no doubt that you are. a good, you're a great dancer. Yes. And I have proof, can we take a look at this, this little dance here?

Okay, we want us to look at this and I want us to talk about this dance. No, it's not. I love this dance. I love the touch of child. All right, let's see. Go ahead. Okay, okay, act. You can't stop.

You get, you. Oh yeah. When you're dancing like this, are you thinking, about the steps, your mom. Thinking about how I was nervous at first. It's so real. I couldn't believe that I was not into this.

You know, in this too is, what was Vito saying to you in the dance? I have no idea what? Really, you have no idea what he was said? No. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. So not only is the dancing great, right? But I think also the outfits.

Yeah. I love that out so much. That outfit is beautiful. Whatever happened to that dress? I don't know. They bring it up. They set the studio? Yeah, still in Elstreet.

Oh, I still at the studio. Oh, in Elthrie, it's got all my costumes. They got the Tcha, the vaults. We got the, um, Sam Bar, a cup of toys. I don't have ourselves, like, every, every, every day, we walk past it. Like, high costumes, high costumes. We've looked past it all. So they don't give you the costumes.

But to real now, all of them. Oh, you think so? I don't think so. I don't think so. You cast. Costume department, I work so hard. Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

Incredible. All right. So then, I have another surprise for you. But Ellie, you have, on this one, you have to close your eyes. Why? It makes a surprise even bigger. All right, sorry, are you ready? Close your eyes.

You have to keep, keep it cover. You're peeking. You're peeking, Ellie. You're picking, don't peek, don't peek, don't peek. Mom, you have to close your eyes too. Don't peek, don't peek, don't peek. Do not peek, do not peek, do not peek. All right, now I want you to open your eyes.

I want you to take a look. This is a special gift that was since. I'm hey. Take a look. Oh, my God. What? None. One.

No, it can't be true. No. This, Ellie, this is a gift to you from Strickley. They have gifted you that exact dress. This is yours. I love this Tos of Chargware. Because they put like all these barclos. And they put on all these tachios.

Wow. Oh, my God. You know what's interesting. I was also, I had no idea how heavy. Yeah, some of them are really heavier. Look at that. You're like, like, pearly. Yeah, but when I saw it on Friday, I went, what?

And they went, oh my God. Yeah, it's so beautiful. Oh, love it. Wow, look at that. But look at that. That is yours. Yes. That is yours.

That is yours. Now, I was going to take it. But... That's... That is beautiful. That is beautiful. So then, I'll tell you what, and let me... I'll hold it over on this side for you.

I'll take all of these, but this is yours. Gosh, you're so heavy. I know, right? What a surprise. Now, what do you think that you'll do with this? I'm going to worry it to train me tomorrow. No, no, no, no. Please let me because...

No, no, no, please now. Listen to me now. If I win this tomorrow, then I was like, I put on my normal technique code. So it's right. Give a surprise second. Now, can I do that? Can I do that? Maybe.

Yay. Because I'm like, what? He'll have a lot. So I'm doing it tomorrow. She's going to hold you to it. No, I am. She's wearing that dress tomorrow, Mom. I know.

That's funny. Now, let's talk about the judges just a little bit. Oh, please do. Okay. What did you think about the judges? Okay, so, next week. So, Anton is good. It's got a good percentage like me and mum, and you.

A good person. Now, Craig. He told me, got out there and be beautiful, so I did. Week 1 to week 6, I've improved so much from it 1 to week 6. Watching back when she watches it a lot. Yeah, she's definitely, she did. improved but each week you just bought so much happiness and joy and all her comments from social media were like incredible like yes how positive everyone was and yes you just bought that fun and energy and joy

and more importantly just showing everyone out there that having down syndrome it doesn't stop you the community of the messages at least receive like you know we can show our children when they're older what you've achieved. It was just sort of like touches your heart. You know, this has given me a whole new perspective on strictly from your eyes, right? I can see how challenging it was. You took the judge's comments each week. Oh, the comments.

Yeah. Yeah. But the comments were like, good and bad. And in a room, tell me all the positive comments and all the negative. How do you count on this? You were counting positive versus constructive comments. What they used to do, just to help Ellie, they used to print off all the judge's comments and then show Ellie there was more positives than constructive.

No, negative. Constructive. But it helped you each week because you improved each week. So the constructive comments were helpful. But they went the extra mile always for Ellie. It was amazing. And so what else did they do to help Ellie? So what else was it?

So, in my way. I've got a nice desk, pictures of all the welfare and the artist Tim and I never saw team. The whole room was just covered in photos or everyone involved. With Alison Hammond out on the street. I had the pairings and I got a mirror. I got all shoes. I got a mini-fid and I eat my, uh, uh, such as well high pounds, a croissants, a fantar and like like like desserts on. That end, and an arm at my up high's on that.

You're your own basket with all your snacks. Goodie. Anything that made Ellie more comfortable. All right. So now it's time for another surprise. Oh, okay. You're ready for this? Yes.

Someone from Strickley sent us a video. Special message for you, Ellie. Who is it? Here it is. Here it is. Ellie, my darling. Oh boy, how I've missed you this past couple of weeks. but those weeks that I had with you will forever remain in my heart.

I'm getting goosebumps all over. I want you to know what a special young lady you are in every way. You make me laugh. You're funny and you are a fab, you lust dancer. Now I'm really going to be interested to listen to this podcast that you're doing with Paul. He is amazing and you are simply the best. Have a fun time. share those feelings and I'll be looking forward to listening to them.

Take care, wonderful, wonderful Ellie. Thank you. Isn't she special? She's a cute, isn't? I love her not. Yes. Again, they let her a couple of weeks before the live started to visit the studio. Yeah, we did.

Just to get a feel for it and Vito wanted her to practice walking down the stairs with her. So they did it together and she did it around because he was very protective of her coming down the stairs. Well, when we did the low show, they actually helped. It had, not the way. You did. So we saw the judges, do you remember on that day? And Shirley come up to you and said, Ellie, I've been following you on Instagram.

Yeah. And I think, yeah, Shirley seemed to have a little soft spot for Eddie. Yes, yeah. I love Shirley Bowles so much. I did. And her story. But I think that what so many people forget is that she not only was a champion, but she is to.

Today, such an incredible dancer. Yeah. Today, like, she's such an incredible. That was amazing. Yeah. That was special, was it? She's an honor to my heart. Wow.

Oh, wow you. Well, she is lovely. She's great. Yes. What dance was your favorite dance and why? Okay. So, the best dogs has to be in the tongue-go. Okay.

to Abakadabra. All right. So now why? Why was that the best dance for you? Why? Because the dance had walls in place. So the voice was people closed, make sort of it not turned in and not out.

And I think it's like when you do like the frame and the hold, I get this bider called Bigel, right. So I did. here. When I did it, oh, I'm doing this, that, you know, me to do that? I'm coming to like that. It was quite clever a veto. He put a brooch here, so she... I buy that. But I can look like that. I see, I see. To help with the, what the angle, yeah.

Currently then, with everyone who's left, who would you like to see when? But I look at her. I think, I see it. Okay. I have just one more strictly question for you. Okay. This is a big one. Before you would go on stage and perform, is there any ritual, anything that you would always do before you got on stage? So we got three things. So here, come on, and then we did it back.

So there's number one ritual moment. We had this song. It's like, a bear a child, better child, better, chow, tell, told, that one. You do that every time. Yes. And then the other moment is where we, it's where I quite a cuddle me. Oh, yeah. And tells me I'm putting my side, like this. And I love so much my fire, my butterfly, my cheek, my cheeky's own soul. And the other one is, you know, it's a little bit. Where we do, but at least him more. I don't. I'm going to dance.

Yes, yes. So then, Ellie, through this, strictly was hard, right? But you got through it. Yeah. What would advice would you give to people who feel like what they're doing is very hard and they don't know if they can get through it?

What would you tell them to do? Be comfortable in love and dreams. Be happy. I don't remember. I live there. Be comfortable. Okay. All right.

I'm done. I'm done there. Because it's one of those. where this is something that we all face. I think we all go to a place. Maybe it's a job. Maybe it's an event. And we don't feel like we can do it.

Yeah. And I think that you inspired many people. Yeah. And they now believe they can do it. Mm-hmm. Right. All right. So what's going on?

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Go to LinkedIn.com slash campaign terms and conditions apply. So with modeling, here's where I love to begin is, what project did you? feel like you were officially a model? I think I'd say. Okay, all right. So what did you do for Adidas? So if I contract for having a year. Well, a year.

I'm possible because I think it's impossible. Oh, okay, that's part of the campaign. In South Bank, right, it was inspired the next generation of change makers. So what was set up in South Bank? My statue. Your statue. Not such a statue. You had a statue.

Yes. But it was with like other athletes and Olympians. A lot of people. I did this post. Yeah, it was so clever how they made the statue. It was made out of plastic. Yeah, apparently. Okay.

So you went and visited the statue, obviously. Yeah, yeah. We went obviously like she had it all made and it was very clever how they captured her to 400 cameras at different angles and yeah mind-blowing wasn't it? What came before? Because didn't Gucci come before? Yeah. Oh yeah. And it was for a new mascara that they were bringing out. Le obscure. That's it. Ler obscure.

Lerbys doesn't forget anything. And yeah, it just seemed like a normal shoe. A normal day. Yeah, and then there you are. Then the ELISA agency spoke to me and said, be prepared for what's going to happen. And I said, what's going to happen? And she said, just be prepared. And this was launched.

And, yeah, the newspapers were phoning. You had interviews. So this photo on Gucci's Instagram received 850,000 likes. Wow. Which was 10 times the number of Gucci's average. Yeah, yeah, for a phrase. Yeah. What do you believe it was about this photo

in you that created that much attention for Gucci? I think the dress gave it all over. The dress is a 10 out of 10. Did they give you that dress? No, but it took to me. It was very high.

I got it tired. I just think the whole world was in shock that a company like Gucci used someone like Ellie. That's what I personally think. And it woke the world up to realize that, you know, there is, there can be inclusivity in the world.

And yeah. Yeah, just that picture was like in every country and it went viral everywhere. Oh, yeah. Ellie's Instagram, like literally overnight, went from a few hundred, 400 followers to like 15,000. Oh, my goodness. It was a night.

It was like, it was completely crazy. What were the, I'm sure you were receiving messages. What were those messages? They were, I both were a fleek, I love to look, eyelashes. Eyebrows got on. Yeah, but I both did. On fleak, yeah. On fleak, yeah.

Just, yeah, it just changed Ellie's career. Yeah, he knew he was. So at that point, you were in a modeling agency, right? So this is, is it, how do you, is it, Zebedi? Zebedi. Zebedi management. So this, from what I understand, is an agency committed to representing models with disabilities and alternative appearances. Yes.

Yes. So Ellie was there, literally their first client and she's still with them. Really? I am. Oh my goodness. Yeah. We've got a very amazing relationship with her two girls who run it. Zoe and Laura and all the staff.

The day that Ellie first. I first went for that very first shoot. They said, you know, she's got such potential. Her personality in her character and they just knew and they believed in her. Because we'd have sort of gone to other agencies previous, sent pictures, and he saw a few people, but we never heard back. Interesting. Yeah, like, wonder why.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God. And so, yeah, when they, we heard that they were opening and we were obviously, I was on the phone to get her to have a script. Get me to agent. Yes. And it all went from there. It did.

You've modeled for a glamour magazine. Yes. Sports direct. Yeah. Avon. Amazon, Primark. Marie Claire, Body Shop, Boots, Spotify. Oh, my God.

All of these. Victoria's Secret. Yeah. Got to be in Barcelona. We went to burning your Barcelona this year for Schwarzkow. That was just before

Strictly we were in Barcelona. But this is, I think that this needs just a, you know, a space of you are a bona fide international. He's done eight magazine covers, I think.

Eight. Eight magazine covers? Yeah. We have all. these moments that are happening in your modeling career. Now, there's one in particular that seems to be perhaps the most, I think, talked about, at least publicly. And that is this. You could probably guess. No, what do you think? I do. Oh, no. What else? What else? Most, I think, I believe this is most talked about. You tell me what you think. Oh, go.

Ellie literally Oh, Vogue Oh yeah, that little cover that I did up from Vogue Okay So this moment Must have been

Yeah A major moment for you both Here you are on the cover of Vogue This was always You said a dream of yours Again yes So now when you look back And you think about

This moment How does it feel? I don't know. Well, not awkward. No. Fun, not as much. I remember he's a bit surreal. I guess it could it.

Yes. Yeah, surreal. It is. Definitely surreal. And then Yvonne, how does it feel for you to see your daughter, who you helped get into an agency at 16, then cover Bogue? Yeah.

Again, like, the shoe was, lovely, we weren't told at all that she might make her cover. Good thing. To be told that she's made the cover, we were both screaming. Well, at first, well, when I had a call. We're in a taxi, weren't we? Coming home from another shoot. So this is 2023.

Yeah. Ah, okay. Yeah, it's 2020. Yeah, so every year something. The amazing happens. Best, best. It just seems to get better. Best thing is, please, it's strictly.

No. No. Forget bug. Forget that. No. But this all built up to where you are now. Yeah, I know, but Baker was great. Nanny was wonderful.

She's a big show. But to me, I'm like, no, it's not a big show. He's full of fun of games. But Annie just seems to handle whatever's thrown at her. Yes. It's almost like it's not a shot. to you, you know. And I think that when people are walking in their excellence, it's typically not a big

shock. But all this from her career, like, whatever she's done, it's never changed Ellie as a person. She's, Ellie. She's never changed. Oh, I'm me. Which is amazing, you know, it hasn't changed the way she thinks. I mean, she's grown, obviously, and I think strictly as well. Yeah.

Made you a better person and you had so many interviews and, you know, she just got better and better at talking to people and, you know, she grew as a person in that way. Yes. Yes, it's never changed her. Here's what I want to talk about. This is something that just happened to you. Okay. You're meeting lots of famous people now.

You're famous yourself, Ellie, but you're meeting lots of other famous people. Yes. You were at an event. And I'm a little jealous on who you met. Okay. Do you know what I'm talking about? Um, of Mercury. It was the wicked event.

Oh, yes. Cynthia and Ariana Grande. Yes, yes. They were so cute. Will I tell us about? Go on. So we were off to our seats. And then Cynthia and Ariana were just talking to her a few.

people and Ellie met Cynthia strictly. She was saying at the movies she was in a movie's week so I said Ellie look there's say hi to Cynthia they're hanging around we didn't want to interfere and then

Cynthia turned around and she was like and then she had to her and she was oh how are you I went to miss you and she would see you again and then she called Ariel Ariana, Ellie was in the script. And then, so, so basically, it sounds like Cynthia Arrivo came to you.

Yeah. And then Ariana Grande came to you. Yeah. Yeah. I mean. And. Fun about that, I did her dance to my trick, my daughter. And I had her hair like it out, basically.

Yeah. Really? In a fringe. Yeah. Okay. All right. He danced to her. So, yeah.

Do you, when you're at an event like this, how do you think, how do you think? feel because if this was maybe, let's say, five years ago, perhaps they would not have come up to you. But now you have the two of the biggest stars in the world at... Let me gas you up fully. You have two of the biggest... She's like, go on there. Here we go. You have two of the biggest stars in the world, in one of the biggest movies in the world,

at their premiere where everyone is coming to them. they come to you. Yes. How does that feel? Oh, that's really. I mean, do you feel, do you feel more, maybe pressure, more responsibility? No, no, no. It's just a day in the life of Ellie, Goldstein.

Yes. So this is interesting. You're really becoming what's called a multi-hyphenate, right? So you're a dancer. Do you sing as well? Yeah. No, I sing. Mom say you can't sing.

I think to the band songs, oh, Straitly. I don't think I can, but I think there's a band song at home, and I think it's good. Okay, so you think it's good. Okay, so you're definitely a dancer. Yes. You're a model. You're an actress. You're also an author.

Oh, yes. Author. You do so many things. You don't even know. You're an author. But so, yeah, how did these, the idea, for the books, where did that come from? Shall I say?

Yes. So Ellie was on loose women a couple of years ago. And just after that, a few days, I had a voice message from Katie Piper saying, have you ever thought of Ellie writing a book? I was like, no. So things happened pretty quickly. She put us in touch with her publishers. And we had meetings.

And it just all sort of happened quite quickly. So Ellie had a ghostwriter. Glowing a window. And it took a good year or so, I think. But every week or so, a couple of hours, she would just chat her life to the ghost writer. And then obviously there's my introduction about her life at the start. And then everything.

think. And then they involved some past primary school teachers, Ellie's dance teacher, Amy, Ellie's sister, Amy. So it's written from all different perspectives. And yes. And yeah, it's a family book. And then a year after that, they come back to us and said, how about us or Ellie doing a kid's book from her debut book, just to show, you know, that other kids, that you can achieve whatever you want in life. And it's just a very fun, colourful book. It's incredible. Do you believe that, Ella, you'll do more books?

Yes. Yeah. Yeah, it was quite a lot of fun of it. It's always like a good. Yeah, she's quite good. She's got a good imagination. Now, you mentioned, Yvonne, in the first book, there's a lot of the background story.

Yeah. Right. From birth, early years. Yeah. I would love, could we, could we talk about that? Yes, go on. You were born, Ellie, in Essex, correct? So born, raised, currently live in Essex.

So I was 38. During the pregnancy, I was fine. I had my usual scans and everything. And it was about two weeks or so before the due date and something didn't feel right. went for another scan and she was literally stuck my stomach I see

so they decided you need a cesarean had a cesarian that all seemed to go fine they never bought her over to me straight away she came out and the glimpse I saw of her she was completely purple the cord was right round her neck

what cord what coloured cord I don't know Billet or red I don't know So they took her away and they sorted her. That was all fine. Yeah.

Still hadn't fought her over to us. I was like, where is she? Is she okay? I said, there's a problem. What? But no one would talk to us. Oh, they got me ready after surgery. Took us to a side room.

Then bought Ellie in and the midwife said, we think she's got down syndrome. We're not sure. I said, well, what's that supposed to mean? I was a bit out of it from the Cesarian. And I said, oh, someone will come to talk to. Do not feed her. Don't do anything.

She was screaming for a bottle. I was so girsty. I'm like giving the bottle. Look, I did. This is very interesting to me. So you were brought to a side room. Yeah. They brought Ellie in for the first time.

Yeah. So you were able to see her in colour, which that is such an important moment. Yeah, of course. For a while, you know, we kept asking him, where is she? And you don't get answers. Four hours went past. Four hours.

Four hours. Four hours before anyone came back to see us. It's long. And so clearly she's crying throughout this. She's hungry. Thirsty. Thursday. I think obviously Sal must have popped their head in, but no team or anyone had come to us.

And my mum was outside. They wouldn't let her in the... room. It was all really... Why not? Why not? I don't know. It was very odd. Everything, but you're thinking the worst, obviously. Then a team of seven people came in. Doctors, nurses. He scooped her out of the cot, held her in the air like this,

and her little nappy. Oh. This is Ellie. She's got Down syndrome. She will never walk, talk or go to university. University has just been born. My husband's like, what do we do? What we're meant to do? And the doctor said, there's some leaflets on a stand outside, just grab one of them.

And then they disappeared. And I remember a nurse stayed behind and said, I'm really sorry about how that was handled. I'll get someone in to see you. So she went. And I said, can I feed her? And I were like, well, she need checking. She probably won't be able to drink. Well, I said, right, this is enough.

And we gave her a bottle. and she was fine. Yay! And this other lady came in, a nurse, rather, and said, you're okay, you're okay? Looked at Ellie.

He said, well, the last mother who had one of these, left it here. Do you want to do that? No. Even saying that now, I was like,

no. Really like, it's very good, when I talk about it, it's like yesterday. But I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine.

It's vanity. No, I'm not. Make sure that it was. It's like reliving, you know. And what are you talking about? Right.

Because not. This idea that this life is so trivial. Yeah. And it's just, oh, you just just just just just leave her here. Yeah. Can you imagine? It was all very. Yeah.

It was you know what, what I, and this is this is 2001. Yeah. So what, what is so shocking to me is it seems like there was this prevailing thought that. Oh, you're just going to leave her. Yeah. Like, they were wondering why you were even considering. Yeah. Yeah.

It was just bizarre. And I asked also Yvonne, that evening, you're alone now with your daughter. Hello. And you have, yeah, and you have all of these medical professionals telling you basically leave her. Yeah. What's going on in your mind in that moment? Oh, the way they were talking. and about her heart and they were waiting for other things to happen

and maybe stomach conditions and I just thought I couldn't bond. I was nervous to get too attached because I just thought she was going to die. That was my... Die or thought. Just what they were saying. There was like so many issues and they just wrote her off and... I was just nervous of this little baby. Yes, yes.

Well, they're talking, it's me. You have a tiny little thing. They're like this. Six pounds, I think. Six pound, yeah. Oh, cute. Yeah, you weren't. Hello, Ellie.

Cute. You didn't bring myself to tell my mum, and when I did, my mum straight from the off was like, oh, you know, she's fine. There's nothing wrong with that child. And Mama had that attitude through the whole of Eddie's life. You know, she's fine. There's nothing wrong with her. How important was that to you to have your mother react that way?

Yeah, I was just, I was shocked, but obviously happy that she didn't see anything wrong with Ellie, nothing. And went into Great Ormond Street and they sat us down and then they started to tell us the real problems with her heart. So I felt, again, people have lied to me or just, It was just, oh my God, it wasn't just holes. She had a valve missing. I had to rebuild a valve. Oh, okay. Her heart was just in a complete mess, basically.

So from birth to the op, she'd only put on, she was still like only seven pounds because of her way she was breathing. Like you couldn't maybe, what, get enough oxygen? Yeah, yeah. Was that procedure at five months? Was that a life-threatening? She had open-heart surgery. She had open-heart surgery.

So she was put on bypass. It was an 11-hour operation. Goodness. Wow. Tiny little thing. And I remember my husband and I, we had to go away and come back in nine hours or whatever. We just walked around the whole of London, but we did not talk aware to each other. Oh.

So biguelly. Oh, my God. We must have walked miles, miles, a miles, and miles. I'm not happy with that ox. She's stapled up in there. We didn't even know about until a couple of years ago when we went to an airport and she bibbed. And then I said we're on her next scan.

You know, why does she always bib? And I went, oh, she's got staples. No one telling me. You have staples. Yeah. You're a multi-high feet. You're a model, actress, singer, dancer. And you have staples.

And strictly. And strictly. Strictly. So when you think back to what was happening, to me it speaks to changes that need to be made because I would imagine this could be happening today. Yeah, I've still heard a few stories from hospitals. It's like people that have had children with dancing jam and it hasn't been handled that well. I haven't heard lots, but whether it's changed or not, I don't know.

You don't know. So this is something that I think we should spend a moment on because the prevalence of Down syndrome, I believe it's one out of every 800 births. You have a child being born with Down syndrome. We have 6 million people in the world with Down syndrome. So this is prevalent. We need to talk about it, especially to new parents. Yeah.

What would you have liked to have been told to you and said? And how would you like to have been supported when you were giving birth to Ellen? probably after the birth and they knew she had Down syndrome just some people just to sit with you in your room or wherever you are and talk you through it not just say there's some leaflets and just leave you not knowing anything

so just more education on the subject yeah and once we came home someone's come around and visit and how are you, how she doing, talk us through things and plan, well, you know, we never really planned for the future. We always took initially a day at a time, then we extended it to a week at a time, months and now. That's how we just dealt with it ourselves. Is it, were you dealing with it a day at a time because you didn't know how much

time you'd have with it? Yeah, yeah, initially, initially, especially after that huge operation and they said this will be the first of many because the heart, you know, we've had to do so much work to it as she grows, things will change and, you know, she's going to have re-ops and do-da-da-da-da-da-da. But luckily, that never happened. I mean, she goes every year for checkups. They encourage the exercise and diets. Oh, interesting.

Some sound dance is important. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was a little bit concerned with. this level of dance. But it was, you know, we discussed it and it was obviously fine. She's done amazing. She's strong.

Very, very, very strong. Also, I think your level of resilience, you know, one thing that I'm definitely picking up on you is that, you know, resilience is our ability to, when we're confronted with something tough, to have belief that we can get back up if we're pushed down. And you have that belief. Many people do not have that belief at all. And when I was doing my research coming in, I was trying to learn as much as I could about Down syndrome.

And one thing I've seen in terms of characteristics is many people with Down syndrome have very high levels of resilience. I would imagine part of it is because of what you were told when Ellie was little. And that is, oh, she's never really going to him out to anything. She won't be able to walk. She's like, when I change as a person and the fight came in me. But, yeah. Or like, you know, bisoning people. No, like, just I'll prove everyone wrong.

Because eventually after her off and when things settled, we just said to each other, we're going to just bring Ellie up as Ellie. Yep. As we did, Amy, we just need to get on with our life. Mm-hmm. That's what we did. didn't bring her up with Ellie's got a condition or Ellie's, you know, she got to, I think, secondary school and we still hadn't actually told Ellie

and they said, does she actually know what she's her condition? I was like, no, we don't know what to do. Because no one along the way had ever bothered to talk to us about how to tell her or family. And Ellie was like a complete bookworm. The school said, you know, Ellie loves reading and books. Why don't you do it through a book, which we did. So we got a book about Children with Down Syndrome. Oh, yeah.

Showed Ellie, look through it. I said, this is, you know, do you see yourself? And then should we look through the book, explained it all to Ellie. She got up, shut the book, got up, went straight to a mirror and said, I'm perfect. Don't I do that? You still say it. And it was like, fine, let's move on. Yeah.

That's how she dealt with it. Do you feel any responsibility or any importance? Are you just going doing you? Be me. Yeah. I just wrapped up a tour. I've been touring around the UK. There's a question that I ask on this tour that I find to be so interesting.

So I'm going to end with this. Okay. What is one thing? that you appreciate about each other that you have never said. So one thing you appreciate about your mother that you've never told her, and you appreciate about Ellie

that you have never told her. Who wants to go first? Yeah. I just appreciate Ellie as a whole. A whole, Ellie is a person as a daughter. Yeah, cool. The other thing that she does, everything she's achieved.

Okay. For me, I never say to her about how, you know, they can be awkward that I've got, my mum is impressive in me. I hear it. Yeah, that's it. I hear it. Like, how life is always in a fair way, now, now. Now, now.

I tell you what, a mom that she picks up your dirty clothes, she brings you food, and she applies pressure, and she always says now, that sounds like a great mom. Yeah, no. Yeah, a high five. That sounds like a great mom. You two are a partnership. Me, me.

I was saying, Ellie, you might not like that all the time. No. Really? No. No. But it's a partnership. You coming in has been very rewarding. for me and it's broken a lot of misconceptions that I had around Down syndrome.

It's been very helpful, you know, very, very helpful for me. The best few questions. Okay. Question one for you is when people call you a role model, how does that make you feel? It makes me feel nice, proud, and good. Okay. I love it. Do you believe you are a role model?

model? Not quite there. I do believe I'm an advocateist now. Okay. I love it. I love it. What is a dream that you have for yourself? Steeby. Back to Strickley. Now, Ellie, what message would you give to young people who are trying to pursue their dreams? So, getting the hopes and getting our dreams. And I think following your Paul where it leads you. I think I be confident. And be confident. Yeah, I'd be happy.

Now, I know that when you weren't strictly, you also, and currently now, you are, is it an ambassador or in a myth buster for Mencap? Oh, yeah. Okay. And, Yvonne, how would you describe Mencap? Amazing charity. were it really hard to raise money for children, adults with disabilities.

As I started a couple of years ago, this myth busters, which I've got quite a few different ambassadors, haven't they? Yeah. And it's just to bust myths, basically, about different conditions. Yes. Yeah. And it proves people wrong. What's beautiful about what you do, Ellie, is you're not just,

just talking about busting the myth, but you're actually walking, busting the myth. You're doing it. You know, that's what's key. Yeah. That's what's key. You know what? I think, I wish we could almost take this moment

and go back to that day that Ellie was born. Yeah. And just show this to you. Yeah. You know, what you were searching for with some reassurance and some. some hope. And I think what you have done, what your husband has done, and what Amy and this family of love that's surrounded Ellie is you have instilled in her this incredible confidence.

That's why she shows it with this much light. So what you've done is you have actually, you both have instilled hope for so many people. So what you're doing is incredible work. Ellie, you keep being a multi-hyphenate. Yeah, I will be. Oh, oh. And on that, you got to take this. Take that. Take that. Take that. Take that. Thank you. There you go. I think that that is incredible. That is incredible. Thank you so much. Yes, Jay. Thank you so much, Alan. Really appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you. Navon, thank you so much. Yeah, it was super. Ellie and her mom, Yvonne, they're both superstars in their own right. I can't fathom being in that position that her mother was in when Ellie was born. As a parent, you're in a bit of this unknown dark period because you're so fearful of your child's health, especially when they're just born. You're heavily reliant on every cue you're getting from the doctors, everything. It takes another level of strength and resilience to push through all of that, especially when a licensed medical professional, is telling you to not do something. This was my first full-length conversation that I've ever had with someone with Down syndrome.

And so this has been eye-opening. This conversation has been eye-opening, truly. According to research from Mencap from 2024, before Ellie was on strictly, a quarter of the UK public had never seen someone with Down syndrome on television before. And so it shows how important Ellie being on strictly bake-off all of her projects, how important it is.

It's very important for all people to better understand the people we occupy the world with. And this conversation underscores it for me. Hey, honey, it's mom. Did you know if we switch to Verizon we can get four phones for $0, plus four lines for $25 a line? Call me back. Me again.

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