Everything you need to know about Adam Peaty – Olympic gold medallist and champion swimmer.

By Lauren Morris

Published: Friday, 13 August 2021 at 12:00 am


September is just around the corner and while we’ll all be mourning the end of summer, at least there’s Strictly Come Dancing 2021 to look forward to!

The ball is already rolling on the contestant-front, with the full Strictly Come Dancing line-up being steadily revealed over the past two weeks.

One of the latest celebrities who’s announced they’re taking part in the show is Adam Peaty – the Olympic gold medallist who made quite the splash at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

He’ll be joining the likes of BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker, EastEnders star Nina Wadia, The Crown actor Greg Wise and Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Tilly Ramsay on the dance floor – but what do we know so far about Adam Peaty?

Read on for everything you need to know about the Olympic swimmer.

Who is Adam Peaty?

"Adam
Getty

Age: 26

Job: Olympic swimmer

Adam Peaty is an Olympic gold medallist and eight-time World Champion in swimming, having recently become the first British swimmer to defend a title at the Games.

He won gold at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, and has amassed a total of three gold and two silver medals.

Peaty holds the world record in 50 metre and 100 metre breaststroke events and in 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to swimming.

What has Adam said about joining Strictly Come Dancing 2021?

BBC Radio 1 broke the news of Peaty joining the Strictly Come Dancing line-up, with Newsbeat’s Steve Holden chatting to the Olympian.

“I think this will come as a surprise to a lot of people, but I’m so excited to finally share the news that I’ll be joining Strictly this year,” he said in a statement.

“I’m really looking forward to doing something totally different and challenging myself away from the pool. I’m hoping my competitive nature is going to compensate for my dancing abilities!”

Strictly is expected to return to the BBC in Autumn 2021. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.