Tasha Ghouri soared to prominence in 2022 after appearing on Love Island, where she met her boyfriend Andrew Le Page and swiftly became one of Grazia's best-dressed islanders. Two summers on, Tasha has accumulated a loyal 1.4 million-follower fanbase, co-authored a book, Hits Different, hosted a podcast, Superpowers with Tasha, and advocated for issues close to her heart. Now, she is seeing her 'dream come true' as she competes on the 22nd series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Anyone who has followed Tasha's journey will know how much she loves dancing and that she worked as a dancer and model before she went on ITV's dating show Love Island. Since this series of Strictly began, she's been wowing the judges and viewers with her impressive dance ability. Tasha has consistently been at the top of the leaderboard, and picked up the first 10s of the series as she scored a near-perfect 39 out of 40 for her Coachella-themed Charleston. Here's everything else you need to know about her...
Who is Tasha Ghouri's partner on Strictly?
Tasha has been partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec, who has returned to Strictly after a year off to focus on being a father. He and his wife, fellow Strictly dancer Janette Manrara, welcomed their first child Lyra Rose in July 2023.
Is Tasha Ghouri a professional dancer?
As soon as her participation was announced, Tasha addressed something that is considered controversial in the Strictly world - her background as a trained dancer. Often the decision to recruit celebrity participants with dancing experience, regardless of the form it takes, has been criticised by viewers, who argue it doesn't put everyone on a level playing field.
We saw this play out with Layton Williams last year. Some viewers complained that he had an unfair advantage due to his previous musical theatre experience. He admitted 'dance is in me', adding, 'it’s a core feeling and I love it and it’s my passion. But this world of Latin and Ballroom is completely new to me, so that’s what I’m excited to explore.' It's also worth noting many of the celebrities who compete have probably had some form of dance training at some point in their career.
Speaking to KISS FM hosts Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, Tasha said that Strictly would be a new experience. She explained, 'I’ve not danced in quite a few years now, since Love Island my career has changed so much. I might not be good at [ballroom], like ballet, I’m not good at ballet, I’m trained in commercial, so I’m excited to learn these new styles.'
She also told Grazia that ballroom dancing is a 'whole different body shape'. She says, 'I’m trained in commercial dance, so knowing the music and stuff does help you. But in terms of ballroom dancing styles, I’ve never done them before. I’ve never danced with a partner before. It’s a whole different ball game. It’s what I’m here for, to learn that.'
How did Tasha Ghouri become deaf?
Tasha will be the second deaf contestant to appear on Strictly, following in the footsteps of 2021 winner Rose Ayling-Ellis. She has been deaf since birth and received a cochlear implant - an electronic device that improves hearing - when she was five.
She and Rose have been in touch on the lead up to the show starting, with Tasha saying, 'Rose messaged me saying well done and I look up to her [very much]. I think she's a great human. I've spoken to her and met her, and she’s honestly such a lovely woman. I feel proud to be representing the deaf community as well. We both have such different experiences [of] being deaf growing up, so it's nice that I can bring something different to the table in terms of the cochlear implant and my journey. I’ve definitely got big footsteps to follow but she’s been amazing.'
Tasha adds, 'I'm doing this for myself and the deaf community, and for people who struggle with their confidence. I’m here to help them find self love and confidence. To me, this is really about raising awareness and doing something for myself, because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.'
Rose and her partner Giovanni Pernice captivated fans in 2021 with their silent dance, which aimed to replicate the EastEnders star's experience of day-to-day live. Tasha now reveals how she would like to bring her story into her performances, saying, 'I mean it’s all down to the choreographer’s choreography but I’ve always said that I’d like to challenge myself doing a dance completely deaf. I’d love to give that a go.'
What has Tasha Ghouri said about being deaf on Strictly?
During icons week on Strictly Tasha broke down in tears while speaking about her disability and how she was bullied by people online while she was on Love Island. Ahead of her performance to P!nk's 'What About Us?' she said, 'This song is about feeling not seen or unheard. I was born completely deaf in both ears, and my parents found out when I was about 12-months-old.
'Being born into a hearing family was definitely difficult, they’re the ones who had to really adapt their lifestyle around me, they started learning sign language which was beautiful,' adding that they took her to dance classes from an early age where she was able to 'let go' and 'just be Tasha'.
She added, 'Two years ago, I went on a reality TV show, I was the first contestant with a cochlear implant and I really wanted to go on to show that even though I had a disability, I could still find love.
'When I left the show, I remember my dad sat me down and he looked at me, straight, and said Tasha there's a lot of horrific stuff that was written about you, especially on social media. There were videos made about my voice, the way I speak, it became a trend at one point.'
The reality star then broke down in tears and said, 'It really hit me hard as I wanted to go on for representation and I felt like I failed not just myself but the whole deaf community. I said you know what, I'm not gonna let them get me down, I'm going to use my platform and educate people.' Tasha's dance earned her 39 points from the judges.
Who is Tasha Ghouri and what does she do now?
Tasha, 25, is best known for her appearance on Love Island series eight, an opportunity which served as a launchpad for the lucrative and varied career she has embarked on since.
Since leaving the villa, Tasha has modelled for an array of brands, is a proud eBay pre-loved ambassador, and also counts commercial dancing (a style usually performed in a theatre or on a stage), writing and podcast hosting among her talents.
Tasha was born deaf and uses a cochlear implant - an electronic device that improves hearing. After flying the flag for her community as the first deaf contestant on Love Island, she has taken it one step further outside of the villa by becoming a deaf activist. In January, Tasha went viral for her Get Ready With Me TikTok, which she filmed without her cochlea implant to 'normalise deaf accents'.
'I want to do this for the people out there that struggle with confidence, who are still struggling to deal with their deaf accent,' she said. The term refers to the way those who are deaf or who have hearing loss sound when they speak.
In June, Tasha released her debut novel, Hits Different, with author Lizzie Huxley-Jones. The story follows Cassie, a young dancer who is deaf and discovers what she is truly capable of. The author wrote on Instagram, 'Growing up there wasn’t any representation on TV, in books etc and this was key when it came to Hits Different. Reading all of your reviews honestly has me beaming side to side, never in a million years did I think I would co-author a romance novel with a main character who’s deaf and wears a cochlear implant, people with disabilities can also find love, can be confident, can be resilient, can chase their dreams, we are also worthy. We accomplished the message of the book to the readers and what a beautiful journey it’s been!'
How old is Tasha Ghouri?
Tasha celebrates her birthday on 11 August and turned 26 this year.
How tall is Tasha Ghouri?
According to entertainment agency Mass Talent, Tasha stands at 5'9".
Where is Tasha Ghouri from?
Tasha hails from Thirsk in North Yorkshire.
What is Tasha Ghouri's ethnicity?
In a video before she headed into the Love Island villa, Tasha said, 'I'm actually part Indian, so I tan really well. I've already got one, and I've got loads of freckles.'
There is speculation her Indian roots derive from her dad, Tarek Ghouri's, side, but she has never opened up further.
Does Tasha Ghouri know sign language?
Yes, and she is a big advocate for it.
She told BBC in 2022, 'A lot of people never know how to approach people that are deaf or hearing impaired because they don't know how to communicate. [You can be deaf-friendly] by learning basic British Sign Language, because if you just learn basic conversation, that really does go a long way.'
Tasha has previously highlighted the feeling of exclusions in the deaf community by using sign language to get her message across.
Who is Tasha Ghouri's boyfriend, Andrew Le Page?
Tasha and her boyfriend Andrew Le Page made the Love Island final in 2022, and have gone from strength to strength since finishing fourth. They became homeowners in February but haven't disclosed where their property is located (Tasha is originally from North Yorkshire, while Andrew hails from Guernsey).
The couple are highly supportive of one another's ventures. Sharing a sweet message on Instagram when the Strictly news broke, Andrew wrote, 'This is a dream come true and I'm so proud of you! You fully deserve this more than anyone. You've worked so hard to get here.'
Following a public vote, Tasha and Andrew were paired together from the beginning of Love Island. You may recall their brief Casa Amor flings with Billy Brown and Coco Lodge respectively (which delivered the timeless one-liner, 'I licked her t*t or whatever'). But they found their way back to one another and even showed their commitment by getting matching tattoos after the show finished.
When Strictly started in 2004, Tasha was only five, so doesn't remember much from the early days of the show. 'Maybe I could look ahead to in 20 years’ time? In 20 years, I’ll be happy with Andrew, hopefully with more dogs, hopefully married and maybe living abroad which is a goal as well!' she says.
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.