Adam Peaty is the thirteenth celebrity to join the BBC One show’s line-up.

By Lauren Morris

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


Olympian Adam Peaty has become the latest celebrity to join the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing‘s upcoming series.

The athlete made history at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first British swimmer to defend an Olympic title after winning gold in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke at both Rio 2016 and the most recent games.

“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!”

BBC Radio 1 broke the news with NewsBeat’s Steve Holden chatting to the Olympian, who’ll be swapping the pool for the dancefloor.

The last three contestants to officially join the Strictly Come Dancing line-up are being announced today, with Loose Women revealing the fourteenth contestant and The Lateish Show announcing the final celebrity.

Yesterday saw EastEnders star Nina Wadia announce she’d be taking part in this year’s series on Lorraine, with the soap star telling Christine Lampard: “I like dancing like no one’s watching. So we just need to blindfold the judges and I’ll win!”

Earlier in the week, Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Tilly Ramsay told This Morning’s Eamonn and Ruth that she’d be donning her dancing shoes, joining the likes of McFly’s Tom Fletcher, comedian Robert Webb, TV presenter AJ Odudu, BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker and actor Greg Wise in the line-up.

On Wednesday, the BBC confirmed that professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova had tested positive for coronavirus, meaning that certain cast and crew members would need to isolate for 10 days – however, the broadcaster said that the series would not be delayed.

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 will launch later this summer on BBC One. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide. Visit our Entertainment hub for all the latest news and Strictly announcements.