Strictly Come Dancing returns this weekend on the BBC, and 26-year-old TV star Tasha Ghouri is set to dazzle the audience. Originally from Thirsk, Tasha's journey has been nothing short of inspiring. Born deaf, she didn’t begin speaking until she was five years old, initially relying on British Sign Language to communicate. With the unwavering support of her parents, Nicky Young and Tarek Ghouri, and her brother Alex, Tasha overcame many challenges to become the confident performer she is today.
Tasha’s passion for dance started at a young age, training in ballet and later commercial street dance. After finishing her education, she moved to London and signed with a modeling agency. She worked as a freelance dancer and appeared in a music video for the song "More Than Words" by Sleepwalkrs and MNEK, which featured a dance group made up of deaf and hard-of-hearing performers.
Tasha gained further recognition in a groundbreaking ASOS campaign featuring her cochlear implant, which was praised by many charities for increasing visibility for the deaf community.
On the personal front, she had a brief romance with former Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice after connecting on Instagram. However, the relationship ended in early 2022, shortly after Giovanni's participation in the Strictly live tour.
Following her rise to fame on Love Island, Tasha became a viral sensation on TikTok in 2024. Her "Get Ready With Me" video, where she removes her cochlear implant and speaks in her deaf accent, captivated millions of viewers.
In addition to her dance and modeling career, Tasha has ventured into writing. She co-authored a romance novel, Hits Different, featuring a protagonist with hearing loss. Reflecting on the importance of representation, she shared on Instagram, "Growing up, there wasn’t any representation on TV or in books, and that inspired Hits Different."
Tasha continues to inspire with her message that people with disabilities are not only worthy of love but can also be confident, resilient, and chase their dreams.
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