Love Island and Towie star break silence as they’re confirmed for Strictly line-up
STRICTLY Come Dancing’s latest TWO signings have been revealed as Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and ex Towie star Pete Wicks.
The reality stars, 25, joined Perri Kiely and Jordan Banjo on Wednesday’s instalment of Kiss FM and made the special announcement after weeks of keeping it a secret.
Jordan told listeners: “We are announcing two contestants for Strictly and it’s time. They are right in front of me.
“This is it…secret celebrity guest please reveal yourself to the nation.”
It was then revealed as Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, who made history as the first deaf contestant on the ITV2 dating show.
Tasha said she was “excited” and “nervous” ahead of her Strictly stint.
Tasha told the hosts: “I feel nervous, excited, I feel like I’m about to throw up.
“I feel like this is actually happening, it didn’t feel real until I’m sat here now.”
Jordan asked: “Was it a hard secret to keep?”
Tasha said: “Yes absolutely, I only told only close family and friends, only five people.”
Jordan asked if her Strictly partner had been revealed to her yet, but Tasha shared: “No nothing, I do have a dream who I’d like to be with, I’ve not even met them yet.”
The reality star then defended her position on the show despite being a professional dancer – saying “I’ve not danced for quite a few years, since Love Island my career is so different.
“It’s such a different dance style, I may actually not be good at it, like ballet – I’m not good at ballet.
“I’m trained in commercial street style it’s going to be very hard but I’m excited for a challenge.”
This was quickly followed by the announcement of Pete Wicks – who said he’s convinced he’ll get voted out in week one.
Pete told listeners: “I’m Pete Wicks and I’m doing Strictly 2024.”
He said: “It’s a mixture of excited and absolutely petrified, it’s fear, you can see straight into my soul.”
Pete said his best mate and podcast co-host Sam Thompson cried the first time he told him he was doing Strictly.
The Essex lad continued: “Sam’s planned every Saturday he will be at the show, Sam is the one person who will be there every single Saturday.
“He’s making t-shirts, the guy really needs to get a life.
“He’s my number one fan, when I say number one fan, he’s like Martha from Baby Reindeer.”
Tasha shot to fame on the 2022 series of Love Island alongside her boyfriend Andrew Le Page.
The pair moved in together just a few short months after leaving the villa and later purchased their first home.
She was the show’s first deaf contestant and has had a cochlear implant, a small electronic device that allows wearers to process sound and speech, since she was five years old.
Last year, she released her very first book and now Tasha is hoping to strike a deal with Netflix to turn it into a show.
She also works as brand ambassadors for L’Oreal Paris, Simmi Shoes and Ann Summers.
While Pete, 36, is the best friend of Zara McDermott’s boyfriend Sam Thompson – who earlier this month revealed she had been kicked by professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, leading to his sacking.
It is the first big break into primetime television for Pete, who found fame on ITV reality show Towie in 2015.
A source said: “Pete has joined the Strictly line up and is excited to get started.
“He isn’t much of a dancer but that’s what the BBC loved about him. They wanted the show to feel more like it did in the beginning.
“Pete is also going to attract younger viewers who have followed his career since Towie.”
Previously Pete has appeared on Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and The Real Full Monty – where he stripped naked for charity.
It comes after The Sun revealed the full line-up yesterday – with an Olympian and a Love Island star joining Pete Wicks and Nick Knowles on the show.
It was just weeks ago that BBC bosses confirmed the show would be returning after abuse allegations and Graziano Di Prima‘s axe.
The show has been plunged into crisis after a string of female celebrities came forward to complain about their treatment in rehearsals.
Graziano was axed from the show after shocking footage of his allegedn behaviour towards Zara McDermott was revealed.
Just months before, Giovanni Pernice, 33, left the show under investigation by the BBC following allegations of misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, which he denies.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse are returning, with Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly at the helm.
The Sun on Sunday revealed Strictly bosses had signed up blind comedian Chris McCausland last month.
He will be joined by EastEnders Jamie Borthwick, DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, ex Towie’s Pete Wicks, Olympic GB swimmer Tom Dean.
Footie favourite Paul Merson, singer and mod movie star Toyah Wilcox, Team GB‘s hockey team Sam Quek, X Factor and Corrie legend Shayne Ward and JLS star GB Gill.
Strictly's Full Scandal So Far
Strictly Come Dancing's scandal has been growing over the past few months, with several major players speaking out about what went on. Here are the key moments of what's happened so far
16th May: Giovanni Pernice sensationally quits Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show.
17th May: Giovanni becomes the centre of an official investigation after three former partners – believed to be Amanda Abbington, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh – make complaints to the BBC.
16th June: Giovanni releases an official statement vowing to clear his name and denies any wrongdoing.
8th July: Strictly confirms Aljaz Skorjanec will return to the series, replacing Giovanni, after initially quitting the show two years ago.
10th July: Amanda Abbington launches fresh legal proceedings to get the rehearsal footage from her time with Giovanni, after allegedly he refused to release the videos.
13th July: Graziano Di Prima is axed from Strictly for “gross misconduct” after footage of his treatment of Zara McDermott is brought to the attention of the BBC.
Graziano quickly broke his silence, apologising for his behaviour in a statement and saying he “deeply regrets it”, adding his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected his training regime.”
15th July: Strictly bosses implement new duty of care protocols, including having a chaperone present throughout all rehearsals.
16th July: Zara McDermott speaks out publicly for first time. She states while the production team were “amazing to work with”, she found the rehearsal room “completely different”, confirming there’s footage of “certain situations”.
19th July: Anton Du Beke is put under the spotlight for his “1970s attitude” and treatment of female celeb stars, particularly after allegedly referring to 2009 partner Laila Rouass as a “p***” after getting a spray tan.
21st July: Paralympian Will Bayley, who has limb condition arthrogryposis, revealed he was encouraged to leap from a table during a dance routine, despite fears. The stunt caused an injury that forced him to withdraw from the show.
22nd July: MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace admits he broke down in tears and got a nasty stress rash on his face during his time on Strictly in 2014.
22nd July: Despite ongoing issues, the Strictly professional cast begin rehearsals for this year’s series.
23rd July: Celebrity agent Melanie Blake claims she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed pro dancer while backstage on the show, and claims she witnessed ageism, rudeness and a rough treatment to the point of injury.
23rd July: Strictly is forced to beef up security after ‘an intruder scales the wall of the rehearsal studio’.
23rd July: BBC boss Tim Davie breaks his silence on the ongoing allegations against Strictly, saying he is ‘deeply sorry’, adding: “Hundreds of people, be they pros, contestants or crew have been part of it and had a brilliant experience.
“At the same time if someone thinks there was something wrong or they want to talk about their experience then of course we want them to raise that with us. Be in no doubt we will take it seriously, listen and deal with it as appropriate.”
24th July: Strictly 2023 star Krishnan Guru-Murthy holds a bombshell interview with Amanda Abbington on Channel 4 news, where she claims she was bullied, with some of the ‘humilation being of a sexual nature’.
27th July: Laura Whitmore releases a statement regarding her Strictly experience, saying “I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong”.
She adds she is not part of the official complaint, but has come forward to support Amanda with the BBC, alongside others.
28th July: Laila Rouass speaks out against the accusations regarding Anton Du Beke, saying she “never felt pressured” by him and “personally insisted on six to seven hours training a day”.