Ellie Goldstein, the 23-year-old model and actress, wowed judges on Strictly Come Dancing last week with her Barbie-inspired Samba routine. However, her mother Yvonne has revealed that doctors initially told the family Ellie would never walk or talk after her birth.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO! magazine in 2023, Yvonne shared the difficult moment when a doctor delivered the news on the day of Ellie's birth. Despite the grim prognosis, Ellie defied expectations: she walked by 18 months, spoke by her third birthday, and could read by the time she started school.
Yvonne told the BBC: 'After three weeks, we were able to take her home and her cheeky and determined personality began to shine through. My husband and I decided to bring her up as Ellie first and put the fact that she has got Down's syndrome to one side.' Ellie remained in mainstream education until exams, when she moved to a specialist school.
Ellie had long dreamed of appearing on Strictly Come Dancing. In 2023, she said: 'One day, I would love to be on Strictly Come Dancing. I went to watch it being filmed a few weeks ago, but I didn't want to be in the audience, I wanted to be on the dancefloor!' Last week, judges praised her performance, with Motsi saying she 'put her heart on the dancefloor' and Cynthia calling it 'wonderful'. Ellie and partner Vito scored 7s from three judges and a 6 from Craig, their highest score yet.
Ellie's Barbie routine held deeper meaning: in 2023, she became the UK ambassador for the first Barbie doll modelled on a person with Down's syndrome. 'My heart melted a bit when they gave me the doll,' Ellie told HELLO!. 'It was amazing. The Barbie looked like me and my face.' Yvonne added with a laugh: 'Ellie was lost for words – for once!'
