Tasha Ghouriis signing up for Strictly Come Dancing, it’s been reported.
The 25-year-old model and dancer was the first-ever deaf contestant to appear on season eight of the ITV2 dating show, and is now said to be on board for the upcoming series of Strictly.
It is believed Tasha dated former dancing pro Giovanni Pernice, 33, for a few months in January 2022 after he won last year’s Strictly with Rose Ayling-Ellis, and before she met and settled down with fellow Islander Andrew Lepage that year.
This comes after Giovanni was hit with complaints by his ex-Strictly partner, Amanda Abbington, 50, who accused him of ‘bullying’ in the training room.
Amanda – who quit Strictly last series after five weeks – has since given interviews in which she claimed there was behaviour of a ‘humiliating sexual nature’.
Join Metro’s Strictly community on WhatsApp
Want to be the first to get all the latest news and rumours from the Strictly dancefloor?
Join our Strictly Come Dancing WhatsApp channel to keep up to date with all the behind-the-scenes gossip about your favourite pros, judges and celebrities.
Simply , select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! Don’t forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we’ve just dropped the latest spoilers. Keep dancing!
Meanwhile, several other former dance partners of Giovanni’s have allegedly raised concerns, with Sherlock actress Amanda claiming she spoke to women with similar experiences.
Giovanni has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to ‘clear [his] name’, refusing to keep a low profile since the scandal began
A source told The Sun about the new potential Strictly star: ‘Tasha has everything it takes to be a top drawer Strictly signing.
‘Whilst fans who like a journey will be irked she is a professional dancer, others who enjoy watching incredible moments from the off will be more than satisfied.
‘She’s also become a powerful force for good campaigning and raising awareness for those with disabilities.
‘The Giovanni link is unfortunate to say the least, but above all else Tasha is a gorgeous girl who deserves this amazing opportunity.’
It was previously reported Tasha and Giovanni connected via Instagram and exchanged messages on the app before eventually meeting.
According to reports, Giovanni wined and dined Tasha but their romance wasn’t to last as he was travelling across the country for the Strictly tour.
‘Giovanni was persistent when it came to Tasha,’ an insider said at the time. ‘They have a lot in common, both being dancers, and he had just learned a lot about the deaf community performing with Rose on Strictly, who Tasha really admires.
‘Tasha was impressed by how gentlemanly he was, taking her out to top London restaurants and offering to send cars to collect her, but she’s independent and always made her own way to see him.’
The source added to Mail Online: ‘Their romance didn’t progress because Giovanni was travelling a lot with the Strictly tour and Tasha was already involved with someone else.’
Tasha also appeared to reference the dancer while on the ITV show, when she said: ‘I’ve dated Italian before and it’s not for me.’
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘The celebrity contestants for this series will be announced in due course.’
Hot Property Picks from Metro
What I Own: I purchased my £592,750 East London two-bed flat at the age of 22
You can buy a basement flat in this popular London area for £159,000 — but there’s a catch
We built our posh shed office using stuff from the skip and saved £23,000
You can buy this seven-bed home for £80k — but you’ll be the only person for miles around
What I Rent: At 23 years old, I live in a £2,450pcm London flat in Zone 1
Metro.co.uk has contacted Tasha Ghouri’s representatives and the BBC for comment.