Love Island 2022: Yorkshire islander Tasha Ghouri opens up about her cochlear implant during last night's episode

During the first episode of the new series last night, dancer and model Tasha Ghouri, 23, from Thirsk in North Yorkshire opened up to her fellow islanders about her disability.

Gathered around the iconic fire pit, Tasha told the islanders about her cochlear implant, saying: “I was born completely deaf and I wear a cochlear implant in my right ear. It doesn’t define me, it’s just a part of who I am - I call it my superpower.”

Tasha’s empowering attitude towards her disability was well received by the other islanders, with fellow contestant Luca Bish, 23, praising her bravery: “To say it in front of a bunch of people you've never even met and you don't really know, credit to her.”

Tasha is growing popular with fans already, with many people on Twitter commenting on her courage in speaking up about her implant.

One Twitter user said: “Makes me absolutely happy how supportive the islanders were when Tasha told them about her cochlear implant and being born deaf! Amazing to see!”

Tasha is the first ever deaf contestant to appear on Love Island. She became recognisable from her appearances in ASOS advertisements after wearing her cochlear implant when modelling jewellery.

A cochlear implant provides a sensation of hearing to people who are diagnosed permanently or severely deaf.

In the first episode of the series, Tasha was chosen by the audience’s votes to couple up with Andrew Page, 27, a real estate agent.

In a twist on the usual format of the show, the audience voted for who they wanted to see coupled up, rather than the islanders choosing for themselves like in previous seasons.

This was not the only new element of this season. A new villa has been built for this series, providing a bigger space for the islanders to kick back and soak up the sun.

During the episode the first bombshell of the series also arrived in the villa.

Italian business owner Davide Sanclimenti, 27, received a text telling him he had 24 hours to choose a girl of his choice to couple up with.

Who will he choose? Love Island is on daily at 9pm on ITV2.