'I want to help people embrace who they are'

Tasha Ghouri signing books for young fans Cassie (L) and Reeva (R)

Strictly Come Dancing finalist Tasha Ghouri said it was "really lovely" to return home to Thirsk to sign copies of her book in her local store.

The former Love Island star met young fans at the White Rose Book Cafe in Market Place, just over a week after competing in the dance show with partner Aljaz Skorjanec.

Ghouri, 26, who uses a cochlear implant, partnered with Lizzie Huxley-Jones to co-author Hits Different, the story of a deaf dancer who goes on a journey of self-love.

She told the BBC she was "so glad to be coming back to my roots" after spending so much of her year focusing on Strictly.

Ghouri said: "Every Christmas I come back and especially now after Strictly, I'm so glad to be coming back to my roots as this is where I am from, where my childhood was.

"To be back where my family and friends are is great, but also to be back at my local bookstore signing books is just really lovely.

"The book is about a deaf dancer called Cassie, who is a bit like me, and she is on a journey of self-love and finding herself, and she finds a man that really loves her for her, but the true message of the book is about loving yourself first before you can find someone that loves you.

"There is such a beautiful message in the book of self-empowerment and finding your inner strength with your disability."

Tasha Ghouri reached the final of this year's Strictly Come Dancing

Ghouri said she wrote the book to show that there was nothing more empowering than "really embracing who you are as a person".

She added: "Always chase your dreams as nothing is impossible, especially for me, a girl from Thirsk, as I didn't give up and achieved my dreams and focussed on my own path.

"So stay true to yourself."

Sue Lakes, director of the White Rose Book Cafe, said staff were all "super excited" to welcome Ghouri to the shop.

She said: "As soon as we found out she was on Strictly I messaged her father and asked if there was any possibility she could come and sign her book.

"I really thought nothing would come of it as she'd be so busy after the show, but we're really lucky to have made it happen.

"The whole town has been supporting her, there has been such a buzz, so being the only bookshop in the town, we thought, 'oh perfect time to have her for a book signing'."

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