Tasha Ghouri has publicly defended Paralympic star Ade Adepitan from online abuse after he was announced as a contestant on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! The 53-year-old wheelchair basketball player, who won a Paralympic Games medal, is among the stars taking part in the 2026 season of the show.
Following news of his inclusion in the cast, online trolls attacked the athlete for being added to the line-up. Ghouri, a former Love Island and Strictly Come Dancing star, has come to his defence.
Ghouri speaks out on Instagram
The 28-year-old reality star, who became the first deaf contestant on Love Island in 2022 and later appeared on Strictly in 2024, has championed Adepitan for representing the disabled community on-screen. Taking to social media ahead of the season's start, she hit back at the trolls.
Ghouri said on Instagram: "The fact that we're in 2026 and still having conversations about what disabled people can and can't do is honestly heartbreaking.
"Seeing some of the comments and videos towards Ade has been so disappointing. Being a wheelchair user doesn't make someone any less capable, deserving or worthy of an opportunity.
"Representation matters so much – people with disabilities deserve to be seen, celebrated and given the same opportunities as everyone else without constantly having to prove themselves. As someone who has experienced ableism firsthand, I know how damaging these attitudes can be."
She continued: "Let's stop focusing on what people can't do and start celebrating what they CAN." She added: "So much love and support for Ade, and it's also been amazing to see videos highlighting the adaptations @itv have put in place to make the experience accessible and inclusive for him. This is what representation and inclusion should look like!"
Adepitan's background and health advocacy
Adepitan was just 15 months old and living in Lagos, Nigeria, when he contracted polio, a viral disease that targets the nervous system. The disease caused severe damage to his left leg, leaving his limb paralysed and leading him to use a wheelchair.
In 2022, the former Team GB Paralympic champion raised awareness of the polio vaccine after a spike in polio cases among children in the capital. He told the London Evening Standard at the time: "Polio can have devastating consequences, which I know all too well. As a small child, I contracted polio; I quickly became very unwell, and as a result of the disease taking over my nervous system, I permanently lost the use of my legs. It was life-changing.
"But polio can be completely prevented through vaccination, which is why it is so important that parents book in to get their children a booster jab at their GP or nearest vaccination site as soon as possible. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your children against the disease. To put it simply, if I had been vaccinated when I was exposed to polio, I would not be in a wheelchair now."
Jungle adaptations for the new series
ITV has transformed areas of the Australian jungle where I'm A Celeb is filmed to make them accessible to Adepitan. Reports this week revealed the camp had been adapted to include widened paths, strengthened handrails, wheelchair parking spaces, crutch holders and a stairlift for the jungle shower.
Show bosses have also confirmed that Adepitan will be able to tackle the majority of this year's approximately 23 Bushtucker Trials, including the famous Celebrity Cyclone. He will be joined in the jungle by ten other contestants, including Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page and football icon Wayne Rooney. The new series, the 26th in the show's history, will begin airing on ITV and via ITVX on Sunday night.
