Tasha Ghouri’s dad slammed for defence of BBC Strictly star’s dance background: ‘Throwing others under the bus!’
Strictly Come Dancing fans have been left infuriated by Tasha Ghouri’s father – Tarek Ghouri – after he continued to highlight previous contestants with dance training in arguments on Facebook.
When the 26-year-old reality star was announced to be joining the show, many fans took issue with her signing after finding out she had already had a dance background.
Before the show started, Ghouri – who is partnered with returning professional Aljaz Skorjanec – issued a defiant response to the controversy over her prior experience.
She told The Metro: “I’m doing the show for me, for a positive experience. I’ve got to block out that noise. Luckily I’ve been in the industry for two years, and I’ve grown so much stronger.”
Ghouri further explained herself on Instagram, claiming: “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.” (sic)
Whilst many seem to have forgiven the star, this isn’t the first time a celebrity contestant has been penalised for their prior dancing backgrounds – with Layton Williams’ theatre experience causing mayhem last year.
Previous contestants have often addressed the comments once and swiftly moved on.
However, it seems Ghouri’s father still has an issue with the complaints made against his daughter.
Some fans have empathised with his position, but others disagreed with the way he was conducting himself on social media.
In one Facebook comment, Ghouri’s father mentioned the prior experience of Tasha’s Strictly co-stars EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, Miranda star Sarah Hadland and JLS’s JB Gill when coming to his daughter’s defence.
“Jamie did Latin and ballroom and on the Christmas Strictly special and won it. JB had extensive dance training for JLS, Sarah also on cruise ships in theatre,” he said.
“Tash had no knowledge of Latin and ballroom going in to this and I won’t even mention her hearing impairment or young age.
“So, can I ask if one of the other celebs with training had achieved this very special accolade would you have posted your sarcastic comment?”
On Reddit, one user claimed he was “throwing other contestants under the bus to divert from his daughter” and argued that it was “really low-down behaviour.”
In a lengthy rant, they added: “Look, I do get it. I have children too and it would take every ounce of my strength not to snap back at people being s****y about my kids.
“That’s his baby, he’s rightly proud of her and wants to defend her. It’s the most natural thing in the world and because she has faced hardship growing up with hearing loss, it stands to reason that he’d be even more protective.
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“Lots of people on that hell site are constantly bringing up her dance experience (whilst never mentioning Sarah’s, etc) and also conveniently forgetting that this woman is deaf and that what she’s doing here is incredible. It must be maddening. I do get it.
“But it’s the part where he throws the other contestants under the bus that gets me. That’s pretty vile to be honest because all he’s done now is make more of those trolls now gang up on Sarah, Jamie and JB as well.
“He’s literally trying to divert bullies away from his daughter by pointing them in the direction of 3 others.” (sic)