Love Island's Tasha Ghouri, the show's first ever deaf contestant, couldn't hear a thing until she was five years old and she had a carer in school.
The 23 year old dancer from Yorkshire wears a cochlear implant every day, and she's been open about her hearing disability, which she calls her "superpower", from day one on the show.
Whilst she's now achieved national fame on the hit ITV2 show, embarking on a relationship with fellow Islander, Andrew Le Page, 28, Tasha had already amassed a large social media following her time as a model and a dancer.
Prior to her appearance on Love Island, Tasha made a Tik Tok video in 2021 to explain how she's navigated life with her hearing impairment, revealing she couldn't hear or speak until she was five.
The video sees her mouthing the words to Mika's song Grace Kelly as words can be seen across the screen.
She explained that she was "born completely deaf in both ears" and that her parents only found out when she was 12 months old.
The next part of the text read: "Hearing aids didn't benefit or work for me, I couldn't hear or speak till the age of 5, I communicated with sign language and had a carer with me in primary school.
"I got the cochlear implant when I was 5 (surgically done).
She then revealed that she had to have speech therapy and numerous hearing tests in high school which "mentally affected" her, leaving her "comparing myself negatively" and always wearing her hair down.
Tasha then went on to reveal that her cochlear implant broke "in the middle of my A-Levels", meaning she had to have a "reoperation" and "couldn't hear for months".
She then smiled as she spoke about how she trained to become a dancer and got into dance school before moving to London at the age of 21 and getting scouted by a modelling agency on Instagram.
Tasha went viral for modelling an earring which showed her cochlear implant and found herself in "so many magazines worldwide".
Ending the video on a positive note, Tasha wrote: "I've never had any models to look up to and I want to fight to change that!
"It should be normal to have a model with a "disability".
"I'm now so confident and happy within myself! I share my stories and experiences with everyone, proving a super power shouldn't stop you".
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox.
READ MORE:
Love Islanders thrown into chaos with recoupling – and Ekin-Su could lose Davide
Love Island’s Jay sparks fresh rumours he’s going back into villa as he’s seen in Mallorca
How to watch Love Island abroad – keep up with ITV2 series while on holiday
Love Island's Paige reveals secret sign to show she's annoyed as Nathalia 'rattles her'
For all your updates on Love Island, sign up to our Factor 50 newsletter
Source: Read Full Article
