Tasha Ghouri, from being Love Island’s first deaf contestant to Strictly

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The finale of Strictly Come Dancing is here, and one of the contestants competing for the title is 26-year-old Tasha Ghouri. She's a model, television personality, and an advocate for charitable causes.

Ghouri gained recognition as the first deaf contestant to participate in the reality dating series Love Island.

She has shown that she's a natural when it comes to dancing, frequently earning some of the top scores on the leaderboard, including the very first 10s of the season. Partnered with professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec, her routines have been described by judge Anton Du Beke as "almost flawless."

Even though Ghouri had to stand her ground after coming onto the show with some background in dance, she has also embraced the chance to reveal her more sensitive side. During the show, she became emotional and shared her experiences with ableist harassment she has endured throughout her career.

Before she found romance with her fellow contestant Andrew Le Page on Love Island, she gained significant attention for being featured as an ASOS model. In the campaign, she showcased her earrings while proudly wearing her cochlear implant and hearing aid.

Ghouri, a native of Thirsk in North Yorkshire, was born with a hearing impairment. She was first given hearing aids but went on to receive a cochlear implant shortly before turning five. This device helps her hear by sending electrical signals to her auditory nerve.

Since then, she has made appearances on several of the UK's most popular shows, such as Countdown, CelebAbility, and The Weakest Link. Her book, Hits Different, co-authored with Lizzie Huxley-Jones, tells the story of a woman with disabilities who dreams of being a dancer and travels on tour with a famous artist. Additionally, she is the host of the podcast Superpowers with Tasha.

Ghouri honed her skills as a dancer at Creative Academy and has gone on to participate in prestigious dance competitions and appear in music videos.

"Someone pinch me! I can hardly believe that I'm actually going to be on Strictly Come Dancing!" she expressed to the BBC.

"I've been a fan of the show since I was a kid – it's a beloved tradition in the Ghouri family – so this truly feels like a dream come true. I’m sure it will be an incredible experience, and I really hope to represent my family well and make everyone proud on the dancefloor."

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She mentions dancer Rose Ayling-Ellis, the first deaf contestant on Strictly, as a significant source of inspiration for her decision to participate in the show. Ayling-Ellis claimed victory in 2019 alongside professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, who has now been removed from the program.

Ghouri gained widespread attention earlier this year when she shared a TikTok video titled “Get Ready With Me” where she spoke without using her cochlear implant. In the caption, she wrote, “Embracing my deaf accent,” and has since been advocating for greater acceptance and normalization of it.

She has collaborated with the Department of Education, the Prime Minister's office at Number 10 Downing Street, and the charity MED-AL to increase awareness about the challenges faced by the deaf community.

In an Instagram post, Ghouri shared her excitement, stating: “It's no secret that I've longed for this opportunity for years – I can't believe it's really happening!”

She shared that her love for dance began when she could sense the bass and vibrations coursing through her body from the large speakers in her family's house.

Ghouri mentions that she would learn the lyrics to songs by watching music videos on TV and reading their lips or by searching for them on Google.

"I've never had any instruction or training in the styles featured on Strictly," she said. "So I'm really excited to challenge myself and go beyond what I know."

While the star refers to her deafness as a “superpower,” she has openly shared that it can also lead to fatigue and migraines due to sensory overload and the effort required for lip reading.

In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Ghouri is recognized for her unique style and made history as eBay's inaugural ambassador for pre-loved fashion after leaving the Love Island villa. She has collaborated with brands like Ann Summers, L’Oreal, and Lullabellz, and she has amassed more than 2.2 million followers on her social media accounts.