Strictly's Tasha Ghouri and Toyah head to rehearsals (2024)

StrictlyCome Dancing's Tasha Ghouri looked in great spirits as she headed to rehearsals on Friday.

The Love Islander, 25, couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she cut a sporty appearance in a simple black long-sleeved gym top and matching leggings.

The reality star, who wears a cochlear implant, will be the second deaf contestant to appear on the show after Rose Ayling-Ellis lifted the glitterball trophy back in 2021.

Completing her look with some new white trainers, Tasha was seen hugging the team as she joined by fellow contestant Toyah Wilcox.

Tasha has been revealed as the bookies favourite going into the 20th anniversary series and is currently priced by BetMGM at 4/1, making her the favourite to clinch the title.

She’s closely followed by JB Gill, boy band JLS member and presenter, who is the currently priced at 5/1, and 2005 X Factor Winner Shayne Ward, priced at 11/2.

Commenting on this year’s upcoming competition, UK Director at BetMGM, Sam Behar, said: 'Tasha Ghouri’s previous dance experience as a commercial street style dancer potentially gives her an edge where she’s currently the favourite, priced at 4/1.

'JB Gill should also feel at home on the dance floor, thanks to his years of performing with JLS, and is priced at 5/1.

'But it’s still early days with the show not expecting to start until mid-September, and with such a strong lineup, we’re expecting some fierce competition and surprises as the season gets underway.'

The professional dancers were also seen arriving for rehearsals as they train together to figure out this year's dance pairings.

Strictly sufferedanother blow on Friday after two of their stars were spotted heading to rehearsals before the BBC announced their involvement.

DIY SOS' Nick Knowles, 61, andArsenal legend Paul Merson, 56, were rumoured to be part of the lineup and confirmed this is the case as they joined the host of already announced stars at dance studios in London.

Nick was said to have been in talks with Strictly bosses for months before deciding he was 'willingto give anything a crack'.

A source told The Sun: 'Nick has always loved Strictly and he is so excited.

Meanwhile, former footballerPaul will be hitting the dancefloor after overcoming drink, drug and gambling addictions.

They follow on from the likes of Gladiator's star Montell Douglas, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and Olympian Tom Dean, whowere recently announced.

Montell Douglas is best known as Fire from the BBC One series of Gladiators, however prior to her TV fame she competed as an Olympic Bobsledder and Team GB Sprinter.

Back in 2010 the sports star won a Commonwealth Gold in the 4x100m relay race and she also held the British woman's record for fastest 100m sprint.

Her appearance at the Beijing Winter Olympics in the Bobsledding team etched her name into sporting history as she became the first female UK athlete to compete at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Speaking about her excitement to star in the series she exclaimed: 'Strictly ARE YOU READY, Fire is here to light up the Ballroom.

'Wow I am so honoured to have been asked to do the show. It is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I can't wait to get started.'

Hoping her Gladiator persona will come in handy she added: 'Hopefully a few of my Gladiator moves will come in handy with the Tango or Paso Doble!''

Jamie Borthwick rose to fame for his portrayal as Jay Brown/Mitchell in EastEnders, which he has starred in since 2006, and is now oneof the longest serving actors on the show.

In 2008 his role in EastEnders earned him a British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor, he then went on to win Best Actor at the Inside Soap Awards in 2023.

His stint will mark a return to Strictly Come Dancing after he competed in the Christmas Special last year, being crowned champion alongside professional dancer Nancy Xu.

He said: 'I had a ball doing the Strictly Christmas special last year, so when I was asked to join for this series it was the easiest yes!

'This is a fresh challenge and it will be so different to be learning a new dance every week and for the public to have their say.

'I'm hoping to be Salsa-ing around Albert Square in no time and I'll be asking my Walford Strictly alumni for some words of wisdom. See you on the dancefloor!'

Swimmer Tom is a three-time Olympic champion, making history as the first British man to win agold medal for the men's 200m swim freestyle in over 100 years, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He went ontowin a further gold medal in Tokyo and become England's most decorated athlete at the subsequent 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning a total of seven medals.

Most recently, Tom brought home his third gold medal for Team GB from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the team 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

Speaking about taking part, he said: 'I am taking part in Strictly Come Dancing 2024!

'You may have heard me accidentally say it poolside first… but now I can officially talk about how excited I am to get stuck into something new, meet some brilliant people and get dancing. Bring it on!'

Brimming with excitement afterTeam GB's big win last week, Tom accidentally announced he was set to appear on Strictly, breaking strict rules from bosses.

The BBC go to great lengths to keep the celebrities taking part in each series top secret and stars usually don't comment on speculation until it's officially confirmed.

But Tom confirmed he is getting ready to take to the dancefloor while speaking after themen's 200 metres individual medley at the Olympics in Paris on Thursday.

He said: 'Naturally you want to take a break after you've had a full Olympic cycle and the opportunity arose. I thought it would be really exciting to try something a bit different. I'll be doing that and straight back into training after it.

Tom also confirmed he'll be seeking advise from his teammate Adam Peaty who danced with Katya Jones on the 2021 series.

He said: 'It's something to look forward to. I've not seen [Adam] yet. He did brilliantly on it so I'll be getting a few tips from him, for sure.

'I don't do too well out of water in gravity sports. I'm throwing myself into it and I know what a hard day's training is like so I'm looking forward to it.

'I guess we'll find out. It's something to look forward to and once I finish this, back home, relax a bit with the family and then we crack on end of August time. It's exciting.'

It comes afterMiranda star Sarah Hadland and X Factor singer turned Coronation Street actor Shayne Ward were announced to be joining the lineup.

Sarah, 53, made her name as Miranda's sidekick Stevie in the celebrated BBC sitcom, as well as being one of the original cast members of the multi award winning series Horrible Histories.

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.

Sarah gushed: 'I cannot believe I am part of Strictly! I feel particularly excited to be part of such an iconic show in its 20th year. I'm so ready for the glitz, glam and glitter and hopefully I can make everyone watching at home proud!'

Shayne, 39, shot to fame in 2005 when he won the second ever series of The X Factor. He will join fellow X Factor star JB Gill, from the band JLS, on Strictly.

Although his first and second album charted at number one and number two respectively, his third album received a lukewarm reception and disappointing sales.

Moving into the world of acting, the star joined the cast of Coronation Street as Aidan Connor from 2015 to 2018, a decade after he won the singing competition.

Shayne made his last appearance as Aidan Connor on 7 May 2018.

And the star has already had some dance practice as he also competed on Dancing On Ice back in 2013.

He most recently appeared in a Channel 5drama called The Good Ship Murder, alongside his former Corrie co-star Catherine.

'I'm buzzing to see all of the sparkles and magic that is Strictly in real life,' Shayne said. 'I'm no stranger to live TV, but dancing Latin and Ballroom in front of millions is a whole new level. No promises on my dancing ability, but I will give it my best shot!'

Strictly Come Dancing fans have furiously slammed this year's lineup as 'the worst to ever exist'.

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and TOWIE's Pete Wicks were both unveiled as part of the new series, joining comedian Chris McCausland, JLS singer JB Gill, 80s rocker Toyah Wilcox, Morning Live's Dr Punam Krishnan and singer Wynne Evans.

Despite the fact that this year's lineup is still being announced, many fans have already made their feelings known, complaining that they 'don't know half' of the stars taking part.

The BBC show is currently embroiled in controversy over how the professional dancers teach the celebs, with multiple accusations emerging of bullying and abusive behaviour.

Posts to X included: 'That finalised Strictly lineup may be the worst to ever exist. I can't sit through 10 weeks of Sam Quek and Pete Wicks. I can't;'

'Is it unkind to think perhaps quite a few high profile people have dropped out of Strictly this year...? The line-up has the unmistakeable feel of a b-list;'

'This Strictly lineup so far is really giving last minute replacements of bigger celebrities who have dropped out because of all the allegations...;'

The sixth and seventh celebrities were confirmed on Kiss FM on Wednesday, as Love Island'sTasha Ghouriand 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'.

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.

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.'

MeanwhileStrictly 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.'

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 was the first celeb contestantof 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-Elliswho 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.

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.'

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 Glastonburyin June, saying the show will top off what has been an incredible year for her.

Meanwhile swimmerTom 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.

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.

The Sun reports Sam Quek, who rose to fame on Team GB's hockey team, is also a potential Strictly signing.

The Olympic medallist has previously appeared on I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2016 and Celebrity Masterchef in 2020.

Gladiators starMontell 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.