Tasha Ghouri expressed deep emotions on Strictly Come Dancing as she shared her struggles with negative online reactions stemming from her disability. The 26-year-old former Love Island contestant, alongside her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, wowed the judges with a performance set to Pink’s “What About Us,” achieving a remarkable score of 39, the highest of the series.

Before their dance, Tasha, who was born deaf and utilizes a cochlear implant, became teary-eyed while discussing the hurtful comments and videos she has faced online regarding her speech. Following her appearance on Love Island in 2022, she was targeted by a wave of vicious remarks that left her feeling as though she had disappointed “the entire deaf community.”

Hailing from North Yorkshire, Ghouri made history as Love Island’s first deaf participant, finishing in a tie for fourth place with her boyfriend Andrew Le Page, with whom she is still together. Tasha had entered the show not only to find love but also to promote awareness for the deaf community. However, the experience turned sour due to the online hate she encountered.

Reflecting on this painful chapter, Tasha recounted how her father confronted her after the show to discuss the disturbing comments circulating about her voice. She shared that it became a trend for people to mock how she spoke. This negativity led her to experience what she described as “rock bottom,” causing her to feel like she had failed both herself and those she aimed to represent.

Despite these challenges, Tasha is determined not to allow the trolls to defeat her spirit. She is committed to using her platform for education and advocacy. Today, she boasts over 2.2 million followers across various social media platforms and has collaborated with government entities such as Number 10 Downing Street and the Department for Education in support of issues affecting the deaf community.

As she prepared for this year’s Strictly series, Tasha expressed how meaningful this opportunity is for her. Having watched Strictly since childhood, participating in it has been a long-held dream. Her appearance follows that of Rose Ayling-Ellis, who made history as Strictly’s first deaf contestant and went on to win.

During the show’s Icons Week, which featured performances honoring stars like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, Tasha and Aljaz joined other contestants at the top of the leaderboard with their impressive score. Meanwhile, Amy Dowden missed a recent episode due to health concerns but was temporarily replaced by Lauren Oakley during a Bruno Mars medley performance with JB Gill.

The celebration of iconic music continues into Sunday night with more captivating performances planned. Additionally, initiatives aimed at enhancing opportunities for deaf communities are being explored by researchers in Wolverhampton.