Tasha Ghouri is set to take popular culture by storm.
The 23-year-old dancer and ASOS model is amongst the 11 singletons who were announced to be leading the 2022 Love Island line-up.
She will also born deaf, receiving a cochlear implant aged five.
Speaking previously about appearing as Love Island’s first ever deaf contestant, Tasha said: “It’s a big statement being on Love Island, I hope it shows people that it doesn’t matter what super power you’ve got, it doesn’t define you, it’s part of what makes you special and unique.
“It makes you different from other people but in a good and positive way.”
So, what does Tasha’s life look like away from the Love Island villa?
Music video
(Image: Instagram)
Tasha may be new to reality television, but music and TV fans may recognise her face and dance moves.
In 2020, the stunning dancer appeared in the music video for MNEK and Sleepwlkers’ hit single More Than Words.
Of the video, Tasha said (via The Sun): “That was my first major music video. Surprisingly enough it was about him celebrating the deaf community.
“It was such a great, exciting opportunity.”
Famous friends
(Image: FACEBOOK)
With her villa pals still to be decided, Tasha does already have a few famous friends in her corner.
The new Islander is Instagram mutuals with Strictly Come Dancing winner and EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who was also born deaf.
Tasha has previously described Rose as “an amazing role model”.
She has even revealed hopes of meeting Rose following her Love Island experience.
Tasha said: “Hopefully after the show I can meet up with [Rose] and share our experiences and share our stories because she seems like such an amazing person.”
She has also been compared to supermodel Kate Moss by Love Island bosses, as Mike Spencer told Daily Star: “She’s an amazing girl – so funny, she reminds me of a young Kate Moss.
“She’s one of the girls you just think, ‘OMG you’re amazing’.”
Activism
(Image: @tashaghouri)
Tasha isn’t shy when it comes to speaking about her hearing impairment and leading the charge in helping to spread deaf awareness.
In March 2019, the Love Island beauty removed her cochlear implant and ‘went deaf’ for 10 hours in order to raise money for the National Deaf Children’s Society.
On her JustGiving page, Tasha wrote: “This is very personal to me as I was born deaf and got a cochlear implant on my right ear which now enables me to hear.
(Image: @tashaghouri)
“My parents didn’t find out until I was 12 months old, I wasn’t responding to sounds or even my own parents voices.
“I went through years of speech therapists, numerous hospital appointments, for a few years I was fluent in sign language due to hearing aids not being strong enough for me to hear until the cochlear implant came out.”
Following a successful fundraising effort, Tasha raised £1,215 of her £800 target.
Super power
(Image: ITV)
Tasha also said that she thinks of her hearing disability as a “super power”, and men seem to love it.
This could bode well for her in the villa, as she is the show’s first ever deaf contestant.
She said: “I call it my super power, I don’t call it a disability because it’s something I don’t like, it’s not a word that describes me.
“It’s a big statement being on Love Island, I hope it shows people that it doesn’t matter what super power you’ve got, it doesn’t define you, it’s part of what makes you special and unique.”
Tasha added: “I think because I’m so confident about it guys find it quite attractive!
“I don’t shy away from it, I’m like, “This is who I am, take it or leave it”. If you don’t accept it, it’s your loss.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
