Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri broke down in tears as she spoke about the online abuse she has faced, saying last year was the hardest of her life. The former Love Island contestant opened up to Fleur East on Hits Radio as part of an International Women's Day special, describing how trolling had left her feeling lost.
Ghouri, who was born deaf and uses a cochlear implant, said she still receives ableist comments. 'It's tough. Last year was actually the hardest year for that,' she said, becoming emotional. 'I lost myself completely. I was in the depths and it got to the point where I stopped loving what I was doing.' She also referenced her public split from Love Island co-star Andrew Le Page shortly after her 2024 Strictly stint, calling it a 'hardship'.
The model and dancer, who was the first deaf contestant on Love Island, has previously spoken about the cruel messages she received when she first appeared on the show in 2022. In a Strictly episode, she recalled her father Tarek sitting her down and warning her about 'horrific stuff' written about her online, including videos mocking her voice. She said she felt she had failed the deaf community despite wanting to provide representation.
After Icons Week on Strictly, Tarek publicly condemned trolls who continued to target his daughter on social media. He wrote that such comments say more about the person typing them than about Tasha, and urged people to 'be kind'. Ghouri now says she has found happiness again with her partner, Cam, adding: 'Kindness is free and I think people forget that.'
