Ellie Goldstein on Strictly And The Hospital Conversation That Changed Everything

We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson

FlightStory

Relationships, Society & Culture, Leisure

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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

Transcript

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0:00.0	You've modeled for the cover of a
0:02.0	Glamour magazine, Gucci, Adidas.
0:04.0	But it was really hard.
0:06.0	I'd gone to other agencies previous, but we never heard back.
0:10.0	One do I?
0:11.0	Yeah.
0:12.0	One do you.
0:13.0	Oh my God.
0:14.0	What did you love the most about Strickley?
0:18.0	I love this place.
0:19.0	I had the makeup. What else? Um, because in the most got it looked well.
0:23.6	That actually made me cry.
0:25.6	He just picked up on the belly really quickly.
0:27.6	Could we talk about the early years?
0:29.6	During the pregnancy, something didn't feel right.
0:32.6	Went for another scan and she was literally stuck.
0:36.6	So they decided, you need a cesarean
0:39.3	and the doctor scooped her out of the cot,
0:41.3	held her in the air like this.
0:43.3	This is Ellie, she's got Down syndrome.
0:46.3	She will never walk, talk or go to university.
0:50.3	The last mother who had one of these left it here.
	...

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