STRICTLY NO

As the nation's favourite dance competition returns for its fabulous live tour, show finalist Tasha Ghouri lays bare the challenges of dancing with a cochlear implant... and insists it will never hold her back

- Simon Button

AFTER missing out on the Glitterball Trophy to fellow Strictly finalist Chris McCausland, Tasha Ghouri is starting the new year with determined defiance. "I'm not finished yet," she declares with a beaming smile.

The model, 26, sashayed her way to the last show of the BBC competition after weeks of near perfect scores with professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec, 34. Yet, despite being widely considered the best dancer of the last series, she missed out on being crowned winner.

Now, she's planning to high-kick her way back into contention with audiences on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour following its start yesterday.

Tasha was born deaf and uses a cochlear implant so her Strictly experience was always bigger than just mastering steps.

The former Love Island contestant was inspired to join the ultimate TV dance contest after she saw deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis win the show in 2021.

"When I was younger I didn't have anyone to look up to, someone I could think, 'There's somebody like me on Strictly' until Rose did it. She was the first person to open doors for the deaf community in this field."

While she is disappointed at missing out on the Glitterball Trophy to Chris, who won with Strictly professional Dianne Buswell, she is thrilled that the blind comedian won it as a member of the disabled community.

"Chris's winning the show was such a marvellous outcome - I was overjoyed to be part of it. There's just not enough representation for people with disabilities," says Tasha. "We're making small steps but there is still a long way to go."

Tasha is all smiles when asked about the reaction to her time on Strictly. "I've had such positive feedback," she says. "It's mostly been younger women reaching out and saying things like, 'Seeing you out there with such aplomb has really helped me find my own confidence' - and that means so much to me."