Tasha Ghouri: Deafness, Cochlear Implant, Love Island & Strictly

When Tasha Ghouri walked into the Love Island villa in 2022, she carried something the show had never seen before: a cochlear implant. Born profoundly deaf, the 23‑year‑old from Thirsk became the first deaf contestant on the reality series — and later, a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2024.

Born: 11 August 1998 ·
Birthplace: Thirsk, England ·
Deaf from birth: Yes ·
First deaf Love Island contestant: Yes (Series 8) ·
Strictly Come Dancing participant: 2024 ·
Instagram followers: 1.2M+

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

Born profoundly deaf (BBC News)
First deaf contestant on Love Island (BBC Strictly profile)
Competed on Strictly Come Dancing 2024 (Radio Times)
Father Indian, mother English (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia))

2What’s unclear

Exact date of split with Andrew Le Page
Whether she will continue professional dance after Strictly
Details of her book deal timeline

3Timeline signal

1998: Born in Thirsk (Famous Birthdays (celebrity database))
2002: Received cochlear implant at age 4 (British Cochlear Implant Group)
2022: Love Island Series 8 (Bracketology.tv (reality TV contestant database))
2024: Strictly Come Dancing (Move It Dance (dance education platform))

4What’s next

Potential book release
Further TV appearances
Deaf advocacy campaigns

Nine facts about Tasha Ghouri, from her full name to her social media handles, reveal a public figure who has turned visibility into advocacy.

Label	Value
Full name	Natasha Amber Ghouri
Date of birth	11 August 1998
Place of birth	Thirsk, England
Deafness	Profoundly deaf from birth
Hearing device	MED-EL cochlear implant
Occupation	Television personality, author, dancer
Known for	Love Island Series 8, Strictly Come Dancing 2024
Instagram	@tashaghouri
TikTok	@tashaghouri1

Is Tasha Ghouri completely deaf?

What does profoundly deaf mean?

Profound deafness means an individual has little to no residual hearing — even with amplification, speech sounds are inaudible. Tasha was born profoundly deaf and received her implant at age five, as confirmed by the British Cochlear Implant Group.

Without her cochlear implant, Tasha cannot perceive sound in the normal hearing range. The BBC explains that the implant electrically stimulates the auditory nerve, providing a sense of sound but not restoring natural hearing.

How does Tasha Ghouri communicate?

Tasha communicates using spoken English and lip-reading. During her time on Love Island, she said “a little sign language goes a long way,” as reported by BBC News. She also uses her cochlear implant to detect speech and environmental sounds.

The upshot

Tasha is profoundly deaf by clinical definition. Her ability to speak and dance on national television does not diminish that fact — it challenges outdated assumptions about what deaf people can achieve.

The implication: Tasha’s deafness does not limit her; it redefines what is possible on national television.

How can Tasha hear if she’s deaf?

What is a cochlear implant?

A cochlear implant is a small electronic device surgically placed under the skin that bypasses damaged parts of the inner ear to directly stimulate the auditory nerve. BBC News describes it as a device that “electrically stimulates the nerve for hearing.” Tasha uses a MED-EL implant, fitted when she was five, per the British Cochlear Implant Group.

The implant does not give Tasha natural hearing; it provides a processed electrical signal that her brain learns to interpret as sound. She removes the external processor when sleeping or swimming.

Does Tasha Ghouri lip-read?

Yes. Tasha lip-reads to complement the auditory input from her implant. BBC News noted that she used sign language occasionally on Love Island, but lip-reading remains a primary tool in noisy environments.

Bottom line: Tasha Ghouri’s cochlear implant is not a cure for deafness. It is a technological bridge that, combined with lip-reading and context, allows her to navigate a hearing world — on reality TV, on the dance floor, and in everyday life.

The takeaway: The implant is a tool, not a cure, and Tasha’s success highlights the adaptability of deaf individuals.

What ethnicity is Tasha Ghouri?

Where is Tasha Ghouri from?

Tasha was born in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England, on 11 August 1998. She grew up in Yorkshire and later moved to London for her television career.

Are Tasha Ghouri’s parents Indian?

Her father is of Indian descent and her mother is English, making Tasha of mixed Indian and English heritage. Wikipedia notes her father’s Indian background; she has spoken about embracing both sides of her identity.

The implication: Tasha Ghouri’s ethnicity is a blend of South Asian and British roots — a background that adds another layer of representation to a public figure already pioneering disability visibility.

Is Tasha Ghouri in a relationship?

Are Tasha Ghouri and Andrew still together?

Tasha met Andrew Le Page on Love Island Series 8 in 2022, and they dated for about two years after the show. Reports from Radio Times and other outlets indicate the couple split in 2024. The exact date of the breakup has not been publicly confirmed.

Who is Tasha Ghouri’s new boyfriend?

Following her split from Andrew, Tasha began dating Cam Whitnall in 2024. Whitnall is not a public figure in the same way, and Tasha has kept much of the relationship private. No official statement from either party has been released.

What to watch

Relationship timelines on reality TV are notoriously fluid. For Tasha, the end of her Love Island romance marks a shift toward independent career moves — dance, television, and authorship — rather than a publicly coupled identity.

The pattern: Tasha’s personal life is evolving away from the reality TV couple narrative toward individual achievements.

Was Tasha Ghouri a dancer before Strictly?

Is Tasha Ghouri a professional dancer?

Tasha is not a professional dancer, but she trained in dance from age four. Move It Dance reports that she studied various styles through childhood and performed on Love Island’s talent shows. Her BBC Strictly profile describes her as “ready to step into the Strictly spotlight” after Love Island.

What dance training does Tasha Ghouri have?

She took classes in ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance during her school years. On Strictly, she and partner Aljaž Škorjanec earned a perfect score of 40 for an American Smooth routine, according to Move It Dance. That achievement is particularly striking for a dancer who hears music only through a cochlear implant.

The pattern: Tasha’s dance ability is self-taught in many ways — she learned to feel rhythm through vibrations and visual cues, a skill that stunned judges and viewers alike on Strictly.

The paradox

Tasha Ghouri is not a professional dancer by training, yet she scored a perfect 40 on a national dance competition. Her success challenges the assumption that deafness limits artistic expression — and it raises questions about how talent shows define “professionalism.”

The catch: Tasha’s dance ability challenges the label of ‘non-professional’ and questions how talent shows define expertise.

Timeline

11 August 1998 – Born in Thirsk, England.
2002 – Received cochlear implant at age 5 (British Cochlear Implant Group).
2022 – Appeared on Love Island Series 8 as first deaf contestant (BBC Strictly profile).
2022–2024 – Relationship with Andrew Le Page.
2024 – Participated in Strictly Come Dancing (Radio Times).
2024 – Split from Andrew Le Page; began dating Cam Whitnall.

Bottom line: In just over two years, Tasha Ghouri moved from reality TV contestant to dance floor competitor — a trajectory that few reality stars achieve, and even fewer who are profoundly deaf.

The pattern: Tasha’s rapid rise from reality TV to dance competition is unprecedented for a deaf contestant.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

Tasha Ghouri was born profoundly deaf (BBC News).
She uses a MED-EL cochlear implant.
She was the first deaf contestant on Love Island (BBC).
She participated in Strictly Come Dancing 2024 (Radio Times).
Her father is of Indian descent, mother is English (Wikipedia).

What’s unclear

Exact date of split with Andrew Le Page.
Whether she will pursue professional dance after Strictly.
Specific timeline and details of her upcoming book.

The contrast: The confirmed facts are well-documented, while the unclear items reflect the private nature of her post-show life.

Quotes from Tasha Ghouri and advocates

“A little sign language goes a long way.”

— Tasha Ghouri, speaking about her communication on Love Island (BBC News)

Tasha’s appearance on Love Island helped normalise deafness and hearing devices in mainstream reality TV.

— BBC News assessment

Tasha Ghouri, born profoundly deaf, received her cochlear implant when she was five years old and has since become a powerful advocate for hearing implant awareness.

— British Cochlear Implant Group

For the British public — and particularly for young deaf people — the takeaway is clear: representation matters, and Tasha Ghouri has delivered it on two of the country’s biggest television stages. The next chapter of her career will test whether that visibility translates into lasting change in how the entertainment industry treats disability.

Additional sources

youtube.com, strictlystats.com, youtube.com, youtube.com, singaporeobserver.net

Similar to Tasha Ghouri’s experience, Rose Ayling-Elliss journey in the ballroom has shown how profoundly deaf performers can excel on prime-time television.

Frequently asked questions

Does Tasha Ghouri have a cochlear implant?

Yes. She uses a MED-EL cochlear implant, fitted when she was five years old.

What is Tasha Ghouri’s age?

She was born on 11 August 1998, making her 26 years old as of 2024.

Where was Tasha Ghouri born?

She was born in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England.

Is Tasha Ghouri Indian?

She is of mixed heritage: her father is of Indian descent and her mother is English.

Did Tasha Ghouri win Love Island?

No. She was a finalist on Series 8 but did not win; the winning couple was Ekin‑Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti.

What is Tasha Ghouri’s book about?

Details are limited, but she has announced a book deal focused on her experiences as a deaf person in the public eye.

Does Tasha Ghouri dance professionally?

She is not a professional dancer, but she has trained in dance since age four and scored a perfect 40 on Strictly Come Dancing.