Tasha Ghouri waltzed her way into the Strictly Come Dancing final last year, finishing the series as a runner-up with a record-breaking 37.3 score average.
And now, as Tasha kicks off her new year as she ended the last – wowing audiences with her prowess on the dancefloor, this time up and down the country on the Strictly Come Dancing tour – Closer speaks to the former Love Island star about making history on the ‘dream show’ with Aljaž Škorjanec, and what’s next for her.
Closer spoke to the series eight Islander, before her shock split from Andrew Le Page, but it seems as though she has plenty to keep her preoccupied in 2025...
How would you sum up your Strictly journey?
It was just the most amazing, magical experience. I get it now when people say it is literally magic. It was a strange feeling when it came to an end, but the tour finishes the journey nicely.
How did the show impact you mentally and physically?
I really grew in my 13 weeks. When I first went into Strictly, I felt like I wasn't this big TV personality. I wasn't somebody who was massively confident on TV. So this was a big, new opportunity to take on, and being surrounded by incredible people like Pete [Wicks], Wynne [Evans], Chris [McCausland] and Sarah [Hadland], I felt like my confidence really grew, especially on screen. I feel like I found a whole new spark and fresh mindset coming off the show. Physically, my body has changed. I've toned up more from doing [the] ballroom frame all day long. It’s amazing how dancing can really uplift you in so many ways.
You are the all-time leading Strictly Come Dancing celebrity by average score. How does that feel?
To know that Aljaž and I broke records together is just amazing. I always said winning Strictly wasn't the goal for me, it was just leaving a bit of history there. That’s all that mattered to me. I can't even put into words how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to do that.
What did it mean to fly the flag for the deaf community?
I had so much positive love. It’s so beautiful to see the power of representation, not just from me, but also from Chris [who is blind]. I feel it was such a special year to be a part of.
What challenges did you have to overcome?
There were quite a few songs where the rhythms were quite hard to get. Especially in ballroom, the counts are not what I'm used to. But that’s the thing with Strictly, you find your strengths and weaknesses. For me, Latin was probably not my strongest point. I fell in love with ballroom so much more because it’s much softer.
Aside from the Strictly tour, what does your 2025 look like?
The plan is to do something new. I think it'd be a great idea to push into presenting and documentaries a bit more. Of course, I’d still love to work with brands that I've worked with for a long time, but I feel like this year is a perfect opportunity to take a new road.
With presenting, do you see that down the showbiz route?
Definitely. I'd love to slowly build up my experience. When I look at Tess Daly for example, I'm like, 'I would love to be her one day.' She's someone who I look up to massively. She's an incredible woman. She's been so supportive of me as well.
Are you a New Year’s resolutions girl?
I am a big manifester. I manifested Strictly. I do believe whatever you put out there will return to you if you do the work for it.
And finally, why did you want to get involved with Lily’s Kitchen campaign over Christmas?
Luna [her rescue dog] loves Lily's Kitchen. Their Welcome To Lapland campaign was all about celebrating family and your loved ones. And my loved one, of course, is Luna. She is literally like our daughter – she is an absolute joy and a little bit sassy, which she probably gets from me!
Head over to the Lily’s Kitchen website to check out the Lily's Kitchen range, also available at other stores including Pets at Home, Amazon, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
WATCH: Love Island's Tasha and Andrew on meeting up with Islanders and blocking celebs | Phone Unlocked
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.