The former swimming superstar, 27, is one of few celebrities with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.Ellie competed in her first Paralympics in 2008 aged just 13, winning gold in the 100m and 400m freestyle events.
But she said before the hit Saturday night BBC show, she would experience name-calling on the streets.Ellie said: “Yeah I’m not going to lie, it has happened, definitely, and I know so many people in the dwarfism community that get that on a daily basis.
It still happens even now, but it is changing.“At the end of the day, when they see someone looks different, you do get the stares and things.
But now when I go out in the streets, the support has been amazing and the response phenomenal. At the moment it has made things better.”She added: “TV is so powerful and that’s why representation is so important – you saw that with Rose [2021 Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27, who is deaf] last year.
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