Strictly’s Tasha Ghouri feels like she’s in an ‘invisible box’ in call for deaf community ‘changes’

The former Love Island star is backing a British Sign Language campaign

Tasha Ghouri on Strictly: It Take Two(Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri has said that she sometimes feels like she’s in an ‘invisible box’ as she called for ‘changes’ in terms of how the deaf community are treated.

The 27-year-old Yorkshire native rose to fame on the 2022 edition of ITV dating show Love Island, where she met her ex-boyfriend Andrew Le Page. Tasha was praised for being open about being born deaf in one ear and revealing she underwent a cochlear implant surgery to enable her to use hearing aids.

Back in 2024, Tasha was paired with Aljaz Skorjanec on Strictly. The duo made it all the way to the final of the series which saw blind comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell lift the Glitterball.

Boasting 1.3 million Instagram followers, Tasha’s rise to fame has seen her land a number of huge brand deals, including becoming eBay’s first pre-loved ambassador. Last year saw her become a roaming reporter for the Strictly spin-off series It Takes Two.

Tasha has now spoken out as new research shows almost a quarter of people would avoid someone who is deaf if they thought communicating with them would be too difficult. The findings from hearing loss charity RNID show the extent to which deaf people still face significant barriers in everyday life, such as shopping, visiting the doctor or socialising.

Tasha is backing the RNID’s It Does Matter campaign, which equips people with simple communication tips and videos to learn basic phrases in British Sign Language (BSL). She said: “Being deaf in a world made for hearing people can feel like being in an invisible box. With a few simple changes, we can include everyone.

“Nobody should struggle doing everyday things like shopping, visiting the doctors or socialising. It’s time to smash the invisible barriers and build a society where everyone is included.

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Former Love Island and Strictly star Tasha Ghouri(Image: Tasha Ghouri Instagram)

“I was born deaf, so I’m familiar with everyday challenges people with hearing loss face. How you’re forced to adapt, just to survive modern life. Things have moved on since I was younger, but this research shows there’s still a way to go.”

She added: “The good news is, a more inclusive world is within reach. By changing the way we communicate, with a few small adjustments we can ensure deaf people are part of the conversation and no longer face barriers and hurdles.”

RNID, which offers support to the 18 million people who are deaf in the UK, have hearing loss or tinnitus, released the figures to mark Deaf Awareness Week, which runs from May 4-10. It found that 3% of people questioned said they would avoid a conversation with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss, if they thought communicating with them would be too difficult.

Almost a third (32%) worry about saying or doing the wrong thing when communicating with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss. Additionally, more than two in five (43%) of those questioned said they worry they may seem patronising when trying to communicate with someone who is deaf or has hearing loss.

The study suggested that many people do want to communicate better with people who are deaf or have hearing loss, but think they may lack the necessary skills and confidence. On top of this, it found that more than two thirds (69%) of those asked think knowing how to communicate with deaf people and people with hearing loss is everyone’s responsibility.

The majority (78%) said they would be willing to learn simple ways to communicate with deaf people and those with hearing loss better.

Crystal Rolfe, the charity’s director of health, said of the findings: “This research is a stark reminder that we still live in a society that shuts out deaf people and those with hearing loss. Often this is unintentional, but for deaf people it means everyday activities and interactions can be full of invisible barriers – from visiting the shops to catching public transport.

“Negative experiences build up over time and have a significant impact, making people feel lonely and isolated, hitting their confidence. But there is hope. The research also confirms what we already know: that people do want to communicate better and recognise the importance of including everyone in the conversation, but may lack the skills and confidence.

“This Deaf Awareness week is the perfect opportunity to be more deaf-aware. By making small changes to how we communicate, we can break down the everyday communication barriers. Together we can ensure everyone is included and has the opportunity to thrive.”

People can sign up for RNID’s communication tips, including videos of simple BSL phrases, by visiting www.rnid.org.uk/it-does-matter.