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Tasha Ghouri

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Tasha Ghouri
A smiling blonde woman in a sleeveless jean jacket and a visible cochlear implant with palms pressed together at a right angle to her body.
Ghouri in 2023
Born (1998-08-11) 11 August 1998 (age 26)
Thirsk, Yorkshire, England
Occupations
  • Model
  • author
  • dancer
  • television personality

Natasha Amber Ghouri (/ɡʊriː/, born 11 August 1998) is a British model, author and television personality from Thirsk, England. Born deaf, she became a commercial dancer and fashion model, appearing in the music video for "More Than Words" by Sleepwalkers featuring MNEK and a cast of Hard of Hearing dancers, and initially attracted attention for modelling earrings for ASOS. Her appearances on the eighth series of Love Island, on which she and Andrew Le Page finished joint-fourth, brought her numerous ambassadorial roles, and she later launched a podcast, Superpowers with Tasha, and released a book, Hits Different. In January and February 2024, she spent a week as the Dictionary Corner guest on Countdown, and later that month, the BBC reported that she had gone viral on TikTok after uploading a Get Ready With Me video to TikTok using her deaf accent. She was a contestant and runner-up on Series 22 of Strictly Come Dancing, on which she was partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec, and is set to appear in the 2025 edition of Strictly Come Dancing Live! with him.

Life and career

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Natasha Amber Ghouri[note 1] (/ɡʊriː/)[3] was born on 11 August 1998[4] in Thirsk[5] to Nicky Young and Tarek Ghouri and has a brother.[6] She was born deaf and was initially fitted for hearing aids before being given a single cochlear implant at Bradford Royal Infirmary just before her fifth birthday.[7] This lasted until she was sixteen and went unreplaced for five months.[8] Ghouri later underwent speech therapy,[7] and was unable to speak until she was five, having communicated entirely in British Sign Language until that point.[9] She told Naga Munchetty in December 2022 that her deafness causes migraines and exhaustion, due to the need to constantly lip read,[10] and she told the Radio Times in May 2024 that said fatigue can cause her to require "a few days in bed" to recuperate on account of sensory overload.[11]

Ghouri took up ballet aged three,[7] although she stated in an August 2024 Kiss interview that she was "not good" at it.[12] Growing up, she would replicate the choreography of her parents' copy of the Steps album Gold: Greatest Hits. She later attended Thirsk Primary School, CAPA College, and Creative Academy[7] in Slough.[13] She stated in August 2024 that she had been trained in commercial streetstyle.[12] After graduating, she moved to London, where she signed to a modelling agency and worked as a self-employed dancer behind a bar.[9] She then spent six months in France.[8]

In October 2020, she featured in the music video for "More Than Words" by Sleepwalkrs featuring MNEK,[14] which was directed by Mike Baldwin and featured a performance from a dance troupe composed of deaf and hard-of-hearing dancers.[15] In April 2021, ASOS ran an advertising campaign for earrings featuring Ghouri, for which they went viral over their choice to hire a cochlear implant wearer[1] and attracted praise from Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association[16] and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.[17] She later dated Giovanni Pernice after the pair connected via Instagram; they met in January 2022, though their relationship dissipated after he undertook the Strictly Come Dancing: The Live Tour! 2022.[18]

Love Island

[edit]

"I think for me, it was just kind of, you know what, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and for me I wanted to go on for representation for the deaf community, and I did want to find someone, you know. I'd never really had that partner, someone to snuggle up to, and, well, I've got someone out of it, so it's a bonus."

Ghouri on Countdown[19]: 14:57 

In 2022, Ghouri applied for the ITV2 dating show Love Island; she told an October 2023 edition of Grace Beverley's Working Hard, Hardly Working podcast that she had previously applied for Too Hot to Handle but was told that she was not right for the programme and that a producer who worked on both shows passed her name on.[9] ITV announced in May 2022 that Ghouri would be an original contestant on Love Island's eighth series, becoming the format's first deaf contestant.[20] She was initially coupled up with Andrew Le Page after facing a public vote,[21] though was taken on dates by Jay Younger and Charlie Radnedge two weeks in,[22] and she and Le Page remained a couple until the format's Casa Amor, when Le Page spent a brief period with Coco Lodge before breaking up with her[23] and Ghouri spent a brief period with Billy Brown before breaking up with him;[24] a disgruntled Lodge later revealed to their fellow Islanders what she and Le Page had got up to on the first night of Casa Amor,[23] and Le Page later went viral for his awkward explanation to Ghouri that he had "licked her tit, or whatever".[25][26]

Ghouri and Le Page ultimately made the final and placed joint-fourth, spending 58 days on the show.[27] While on the show, Ghouri received a large amount of abuse for the way she spoke, with "girls mocking Tasha" receiving over 6,100,000 views on TikTok;[28] the volume of abuse directed at Ghouri later led her social media delegates to request that commentators stop mocking her deafness,[29] and in December 2022, ITV announced that it would ban Islanders from having active social media accounts during their time on the programme.[30] She and Le Page moved in to an apartment in East London in September 2022,[31] later adopting a dog, Luna.[32] Ghouri later used an April 2023 tweet to allege that filming for Love Island had obstructed her from filming for the 2023 film Barbie, for which she had auditioned as a dancer and got through to the finals.[33]

After Love Island, Ghouri used her platform to encourage people to learn sign language.[2] In August 2022, eBay announced that Ghouri would be their first 'pre-loved' ambassador,[34] and the following month she released a 60-item collection on the website, with proceeds going to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People;[35] also in September, she became an ambassador for Cadbury Fingers, for whom she filmed a campaign video in conjunction with the National Deaf Children's Society,[36] and L'Oréal.[37] She later became an ambassador for Ann Summers, for whom she featured in their Christmas advert and fronted their Luminescent collection;[38] Sisters & Seekers,[39] a Llay-based fashion label;[40] and Lullabellz,[4] a hair care and beauty brand.[41]

Subsequent media career

[edit]

In December 2022, Ghouri appeared as a contestant on the Weakest Link[42] and on Britain Get Singing, a singing competition;[43] she later appeared on the seventh series of CelebAbility.[44] In 2023, she launched a podcast, Superpowers with Tasha, in which she reimagines disabilities as superpowers.[45] In September 2023, Ghouri and the London-based autistic author and editor Lizzie Huxley-Jones announced that they were writing a romantic novel, Hits Different, in which a deaf young adult pursues her dream of becoming a dancer;[45] Wales Online used their article to note that Ghouri had made their announcement to her 1,500,000 followers.[46] Hot Key Books later acquired the rights to the novel,[45] which was released in June 2024.[47] In January and February 2024, she spent a week as the Dictionary Corner guest on the UK game show Countdown,[48] shortly after which she and Johannes Radebe taught a beginner's tap class at Meadows Community Centre in Cambridge in which Queen Camilla was a participant.[49]

In February 2024, the Advertising Standards Authority placed her on their non-compliance page for routinely posting unlabelled adverts despite previous warnings.[50] Later that month, the BBC reported that a Get Ready With Me video she had "recently" uploaded to TikTok in which she removed her cochlear implant and spoke in her deaf accent had acquired "almost 3 million views", been "widely shared" on the platform, and been praised by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.[2] RTÉ reported on 15 February that Ghouri had uploaded the video to "her nearly 863k followers".[51] Appearing on that day's Lorraine, Ghouri explained that she wanted to upload a video to that effect since leaving Love Island but had not felt ready.[52] She then took part in a government campaign to combat loneliness, alongside Josh Patterson, Bobby Brazier, Bradley Riches, Anastasia Kingsnorth, and Bronte King.[53]

In August 2024, Ghouri was announced as a contestant on the twenty-second series of Strictly Come Dancing,[54] a competition where celebrities are taught ballroom dance and Latin dance styles.[55] She was the format's second deaf contestant after previous contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis,[54] who won her series,[56] and the second Love Island alumnus[12] after Zara McDermott.[57] Her participation was announced on an interview on Kiss presented by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely[47] and was praised by the National Deaf Children's Society.[58] She received backlash from those questioning why trained dancers were allowed to compete on an amateur competition[47] and used a subsequent social media post to state that she had "never learned or been taught" any of the programme's styles.[55] Her series was the first to insist on training sessions being supervised[59] following allegations levelled at both Pernice and McDermott's partner Graziano Di Prima.[60]

She was partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec during the series' launch show.[61] Ghouri coped with the series by taking her implant out for around half an hour just before the live shows[62] and attracted press attention after disclosing that she had been suffering from cyberbullying over her accent[63] and after her cochlear implant dislodged during an Argentine tango to "Ex Wives" from Six.[64] They received the first perfect score of the series on 23 November 2024 for their American Smooth to Lewis Capaldi's "Someone You Loved",[65] though appeared in the bottom two during the next two weeks.[66] They made the series final, which was broadcast on 14 December,[66] and a repeat showing of their "Someone You Loved" dance caused show judge Anton Du Beke to describe her as the best contestant in the history of the show.[67] The pair finished joint second overall behind Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell[68] and are set to appear in the 2025 edition of Strictly Come Dancing Live!.[69]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^
    • For Natasha, see.[1]
    • For Amber, see.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "ASOS celebrated for earring ad featuring model with a cochlear implant". style.nine.com.au. 18 April 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri wants to normalise deaf accents". BBC News. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Newsbeat - My deaf accent - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri throws shade at co-stars 'doubters'". Closer. 13 January 2023. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Love Island: Tasha Ghouri becomes show's first deaf contestant". BBC News. 7 June 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Strictly's Tasha speechless after unexpected guest arrives for final | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Superpowers With Tasha - Nicky Young and Tarek Ghouri: Raising A Superhero. YouTube. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b Dodds, Rosanna (19 September 2023). "Jodie Ounsley, Gladiator: 'When I say I'm deaf, people panic…'". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "I was pushed to the side": Tasha Ghouri on her mission for a more accessible world. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  10. ^ "BBC Radio 5 Live - Naga Munchetty - Tasha Ghouri: Five things we learnt". BBC. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  11. ^ "'My deafness isn't a weakness – it's my superpower,' says Tasha Ghouri". Radio Times. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Strictly's Tasha Ghouri defends previous dance experience: "I may actually not be good at it"". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  13. ^ "First deaf contestant who trained as dancer in Slough to star in Love Island 2022". Slough Observer. 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Love Island's first deaf contestant starred in MNEK music video". Digital Spy. 4 June 2022. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  15. ^ "MNEK: Little Mix were in the driver's seat on new album". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 22 October 2020. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  16. ^ Gregory, Ruby (15 April 2021). "ASOS praised by shoppers for using deaf model with a cochlear implant". My London. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  17. ^ Rodger, James (8 June 2022). "Love Island's Tasha dated very famous BBC Strictly Come Dancing star". Birmingham Live. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
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  19. ^ "Series 89, Episode 20". Countdown. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  20. ^ "Who is Tasha Ghouri? Meet Love Island's first-ever deaf contestant". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  21. ^ "A recap of Love Island 2022: Who won series 8?". Planetradio.co.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page are moving in together". Planetradio.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Viewers think this is the funniest moment in Love Island history". Cosmopolitan. 10 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  24. ^ Rodger, James (11 July 2022). "Love Island spoilers show Tasha dumping Billy for Andrew tonight". Birmingham Live. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Love Island's Coco Lodge pokes fun at Andrew Le Page's 'tit-gate' line". The Independent. 19 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  26. ^ "'Tit-Gate' And The Boundaries Of Acceptable Cheating On Love Island". Grazia. 7 November 2022. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  27. ^ Crandall, Kevin (20 October 2022). "Love Island Season 8: Where Are They Now?". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  28. ^ Lee, Maeve (27 July 2022). "Love Island ticked diversity box with deaf contestant but what is it doing about hate?". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  29. ^ "Opinion: Fan of Love Island? You should be worried about its future". The Independent. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Love Island 2023 introduces huge change to show". Digital Spy. 30 December 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  31. ^ McLoughlin, Lisa (7 September 2022). "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri reveals she's moving in with Andrew Le Page". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page welcome new rescue dog to the family". Digital Spy. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri almost starred in Barbie movie". Digital Spy. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  34. ^ "Love Island's Fashion Hero Tasha Ghouri Is Ebay's First Pre-Loved Ambassador". Grazia. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Love Island star Tasha unveils first pre-loved eBay collection - Check it out". Bracknell News. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri fronts Cadbury's campaign to encourage BSL lessons | Virgin Radio UK". virginradio.co.uk. 7 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  37. ^ Sansome, Jessica (22 September 2022). "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri stuns in white as she debuts new look at premiere". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Ann Summers launches Luminescent collection". underlinesmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  39. ^ "Love Island 2022 cast now: Inside lucrative deals and new homes". Capital. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  40. ^ "Sisters & Seekers fashion brand to open at Chester Pop-Up shop for one week only". Chester and District Standard. 6 September 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  41. ^ Pellant, Georgina (4 March 2022). "Manchester women can get free coffee at a local cafe this week". The Manc. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  42. ^ Jenne, Ellen (24 December 2022). "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri calls out trolls who slammed Weakest Link performance". My London. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  43. ^ "The Love Island cast sang a Christmas song and viewers were divided". Capital. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  44. ^ "Love Island star Iain Stirling's show axed after seven seasons". Digital Spy. 6 November 2023. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  45. ^ a b c "Hot Key Books bags 'Love Island' contestant and disability campaigner Ghouri's novel". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  46. ^ Rowlands, Eve (22 September 2023). "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri's 'super special' new venture". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  47. ^ a b c "Tasha Ghouri Addresses Her Dance Background After Strictly Come Dancing Announcement". Grazia. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  48. ^ "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri makes surprise TV appearance". Digital Spy. 31 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  49. ^ "Queen says she 'always wanted to tap dance' during visit to community centre in Cambridge". Sky News. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  50. ^ "Love Island star slammed by advertising watchdog over 'misleading' posts". Oxford Mail. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  51. ^ "Love Islander embraces deaf accent in TikTok video". RTÉ. 15 February 2024.
  52. ^ Love Island's Tasha Ghouri: Normalising 'Deaf Accents' | Lorraine. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024 – via YouTube.
  53. ^ "Tasha Ghouri and Bobby Brazier join Government campaign to fight loneliness". www.shropshirestar.com. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  54. ^ a b "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  55. ^ a b "Love Island's Tasha Ghouri addresses dance experience ahead of Strictly". Digital Spy. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  56. ^ Harding, Laura (9 August 2024). "Deaf charity praises Strictly Come Dancing for signing Tasha Ghouri". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  57. ^ "Strictly's Zara McDermott breaks silence on Pete Wicks joining show". Digital Spy. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  58. ^ "Deaf charity praises Strictly Come Dancing for signing Tasha Ghouri". The Argus. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  59. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing 2024: Go Compare singer Wynne Evans joins line-up". Sky News. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  60. ^ King, Samantha; Ngimbi, Emmanuella (9 August 2024). "Zara McDermott issues stark warning to Tasha Ghouri ahead of Strictly debut". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  61. ^ "Strictly 2024 latest: Follow the glitz and glamour as show starts its 20th anniversary series". BBC News. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  62. ^ "BBC Radio 5 Live - 5 Live In Short, Tasha Ghouri: 'I take my Cochlear implants out for peace and quiet before a Strictly live show'". BBC. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  63. ^ "Tasha Ghouri opens up on Strictly about online ableist abuse". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  64. ^ "Strictly fans praise Tasha Ghouri for latest routine". Digital Spy. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  65. ^ "Strictly's Anton Du Beke in 'tears' as Tasha Ghouri scores first perfect score of the series". The Independent. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  66. ^ a b "Strictly's Tasha Ghouri on how dance-off shock helped her prepare | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  67. ^ "Anton Du Beke names 'best' Strictly contestant to ever compete on series". The Independent. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  68. ^ Thorpe, Vanessa (14 December 2024). "It's Chris and Dianne's time to shine as winners of Strictly's glitterball". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  69. ^ Clarke, Naomi (4 December 2024). "Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill among stars on 2025 Strictly Come Dancing live tour". The Standard. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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