The sixth and seventh celebrities confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing’s 2024 series are Love Island beauty Tasha Ghouri and TOWIE star Pete Wicks.
Tasha became the first Love Island star to appear on the show with a cochlear implant, which is an electronic device she had fitted aged five.
The model is passionate about raising awareness for the deaf community.
She appeared on ITV‘s Love Island in 2022, and since then has amassed a following of over 2.2 million across her social media network.
Tasha has worked with Number 10 Downing Street, The Department of Education and MED-AL to champion issues close to her heart. She is a published author with her debut novel ‘Hits Different’ and has her own podcast, ‘Superpowers with Tasha’.
The sixth celebrity confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing’s 2024 series is Love Island beauty Tasha Ghouri
Pete Wicks called into Kiss FM to confirm his signing on Wednesday morning
Announcing the news on the KISS FM Breakfast Show on Wednesday Tasha gushed: ‘Pinch me, I can’t believe I’m going to be on Strictly Come Dancing!’
‘I’ve been watching the show since I was little – it’s a firm Ghouri family favourite – so this is a total dream come true. I know it’s going to be an unforgettable experience and I hope to represent and make everyone proud out on that dancefloor.’
Pete also called into Kiss FM to confirm his signing on Wednesday morning.
He told the show: ‘its a mixture of excited and petrified, generally petrified. I’ve been telling people, can you really imagine me really doing this and their like, yeah your right you wouldn’t.’
‘I’m going to have to switch my phone off now I’ll have a load of messages.’
He revealed that he had already spilled the news to his best friend Sam Thompson, who ‘cried.’
‘I’m not joking he screamed jumped up and down and cried. He has already planned that he is coming every Saturday and hes making T-shirts and he is my number one fan in life, he is already making T-shirts. He’s a bit like Martha in Baby Reindeer.’
Pete is close friends with best pal Sam’s girlfriend Zara McDermott, who starred on the 2023 series of Strictly.
Tasha became the first Love Island star to appear on the show with a cochlear implant, which is an electronic device she had fitted aged five
Pete is close friends with best pal Sam’s girlfriend Zara McDermott , who starred on the 2023 series of Strictly
Pete has landed a spot on the Strictly line-up amid shocking reports Zara performed on the show with a ‘fractured’ leg following an injury in training and needed painkillers to get through ten-hour rehearsals.
The latest revelation comes after professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, 30, admitted to kicking Zara during their sessions, causing him to be sacked from the BBC series.
It follows claims his abusive behaviour was caught on video, in clips Zara stated were ‘incredibly distressing to watch.’
A source told MailOnline: ‘Zara is so happy for Pete landing the Strictly gig. Her experience on the show was so individual – she hopes no one will go through the same again.
‘She knows that Pete will have an amazing time and could even impress the judges, he’s incredibly hardworking and a good person, and will thrive in the environment, which can be intense, but he performs best when he’s challenged and under pressure.
‘Zara doesn’t want anything that happened to her to taint his Strictly journey and backs Pete even if it is a bit close to home.’
Pete has landed a spot on the Strictly line-up amid shocking reports Zara performed on the show with a ‘fractured’ leg following an injury in training
Meanwhile Strictly face being embroiled in a new fix row following the signing of Tasha, who is a trained dancer.
MailOnline revealed the former Love Island star, 25, has competed in a number of major dance events and featured in music videos, sparking concern she will have an unfair advantage over her celebrity co-stars.
Last year’s series was tainted by accusations that actor Layton Williams, an experienced West End performer, had the upper hand over his opponents due to his extensive dance background.
And Tasha’s participation on the BBC One show could be equally controversial, given she’s been dancing since the age of five and taken part in competitions.
A show insider said: ‘Tasha’s signing has certainly raised a few eyebrows. She’s a dancer by trade as well as a reality star and model, so it feels like she’s too qualified to appear on the show.
‘Tasha is certainly no novice and will always be so far ahead of her co-stars before training has kicked in.
‘There is a feeling her being on Strictly is a touch unfair on everybody else competing, especially those totally new to dance.’
Meanwhile Strictly face being embroiled in a new fix row following the signing of Tasha, who is a trained dancer
Tasha became the first Love Island star to appear on the show with a cochlear implant, which she had fitted aged five.
The star’s parents learned she was deaf when she was 12 months and growing up Tasha underwent years of speech therapy.
She says the disability has become her ‘superpower’ and before going on Love Island vowed to become an inspiration to the deaf community, like her idol, former Strictly champion Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Tasha told MailOnline in June 2022: ‘I love Strictly and being a dancer, Rose is such an amazing role model it was so powerful what she did. She represented me, as well as the deaf community and I just thought it was awesome. It was a beautiful message.’
Strictly are unveiling the lineup for their 20th series all week, but on Tuesday night it appeared the full celeb cast had been leaked.
Already Chris McCausland, JB Gill, Toyah Wilcox, Punam Krishnan and Wynne Evans have been confirmed alongside Tasha.
Blind comedian Chris McCausland w as the first celeb contestant of the 2024 series, to be uveiled, appearing on This Morning on Monday to announce the news
Blind comedian Chris McCausland was the first celeb contestant of the 2024 series, to be uveiled, appearing on This Morning on Monday to announce the news.
The signing is a first for the dance competition which previously featured deaf EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis who won the glitterball trophy alongside Giovanni Pearce in 2021.
Comedian and CBeebies actor Chris, 46, lost his sight aged 22 due to a hereditary condition, Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Later on This Morning JLS star JB Gill was the second celeb confirmed.
The singer first found fame on the fifth series of The X Factor where he finished as runner-up with the other members of JLS.
The group released for albums before they went their separate ways in 2013, with each member thought to be worth £6million at the time.
JB follows in the footsteps of his bandmate Aston Merrygold who was eliminated in 10th place during the 2017 series.
The star also has history with Strictly, winning the Christmas Special of the BBC One dancing show back in 2012, performing the Jive with Ola Jordan.
Later on This Morning JLS star JB Gill was the second celeb confirmed
Punam Krishnan is an NHS GP and is one of the resident doctors on the BBC’s Morning Live.
Based in Scotland, she regularly covers health topics for TV shows and newspapers and has also written a children’s book. #
Wynne Evans is best known for his operatic skills. Throughout his 25-year career he has had two number one classical music albums, has been a principal at most of the major opera houses around the world and has given over 200 performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Wynne told Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2: ‘I couldn’t believe it because its like cloak and daggers. You’re given a code name and you audition and meet the celebs and it is my favourite thing.’
‘The waltz, the classic ballroom I’m looking forward to. I did a lot of opera and I think that would suit me.’
Punam Krishnan is an NHS GP and is one of the resident doctors on the BBC’s Morning Live
Toyah Willcox has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films and presented many television programmes.
She fronted the eponymous band Toyah before branching out as a solo artist in the mid-1980s.
In 2018 Paul McCartney awarded Toyah a Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Companionship for Outstanding Achievement in music, drama, performance and media.
Toyah appeared in the Radio 2 studio with Vernon and admitted she has been bursting to let the news slip, especially after performing at Glastonbury in June, saying the show will top off what has been an incredible year for her.
Wynne Evans is best known for his operatic skills. Throughout his 25-year career he has had two number one classical music albums
Toyah Willcox has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books and appeared in over forty stage plays
Along the confirmed names, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick who plays Jay Brown on EastEnders, has reportedly joined the lineup after scoring the highest possible mark in the Christmas show last year.
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, 61, is reportedly putting on his dancing shows and appearing in the hit series this year.
After months of talks with bosses, sources claim he is ‘willing to give anything a crack’.
A source told The Sun: ‘Nick has always loved Strictly and he is so excited.
Meanwhile swimmer Tom Dean looked mortified as he was pressed on his upcoming appearance on Strictly Come Dancing after he let slip that he was set to take part in the new series.
Jamie Borthwick, who plays Jay Brown on EastEnders, has reportedly joined the lineup after scoring the highest possible mark in the Christmas show last year
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, 61, is reportedly putting on his dancing shows and appearing in the hit series this year
The Olympic gold-medal winning swimmer, 24, appeared on Tuesday’s Capital Breakfast after his team came first in the freestyle relay in the Summer Olympics.
Brimming with excitement after Team GB’s big win, Tom accidentally announced he was set to appear on the upcoming series of the BBC dance show.
However, he remained far more tight-lipped about the announcement during a radio appearance with Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson, 56, is hanging up his footballing skills to swap for the dance floor after signing for Strictly.
The Sky Sports pundit is reportedly joining the new series after overcoming drink, drug and gambling addictions.
The Sun reports Sam Quek, who rose to fame on Team GB’s hockey team, is also a potential Strictly signing.
Tom Dean looked mortified as he was pressed on his upcoming appearance on Strictly Come Dancing after he let slip that he was set to take part in the new series
Arsenal legend Paul Merson, 56, is hanging up his footballing skills to swap for the dance floor after signing for Strictly
The Sun reports Sam Quek, who rose to fame on Team GB’s hockey team, is also a potential Strictly signing
X Factor winner Shayne Ward, 39, is said to have signed up
Gladiators star Montell Douglas is also rumoured. The 37-year-old has competed in the Olympics
The Olympic medallist has previously appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2016 and Celebrity Masterchef in 2020.
X Factor winner Shayne Ward, 39, is said to have signed up.
A source told The Sun: ‘Shayne is a previous winner of an audience-voted talent show so will have high hopes of doing it again. He is excited to begin training.
‘He has some dancing experience so could be a contender for the glitterball trophy. He also has a whopping fan base from his years as a Coronation Street hunk.’
Shayne starred on Coronation Street as Aiden Connor in 2015 but left the soap three years later.
Finally actress Sarah Hadland, 53, is best known for playing Stevie in classic BBC sitcom Miranda and is now rumoured to be taking to the dancefloor
Gladiators star Montell Douglas is also rumoured. The 37-year-old has competed in the Olympics and made history as the first female UK athlete to compete at both the Summer and Winter competition.
She is a former Team GB Sprinter and Olympic Bobsledder, and held the British woman’s record for fastest 100m sprint at 11.05 seconds.
Finally actress Sarah Hadland, 53, is best known for playing Stevie in classic BBC sitcom Miranda and is now rumoured to be taking to the dancefloor.
The comedy star has also had roles in Waterloo Road and That Mitchell and Webb Look as well as 2008 Bond movie Quantum Of Solace.