British swimmer Tom Dean has announced that he will be joining this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up, making him the first celebrity to confirm their participation for the upcoming season.
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Dean, 24, recently helped Team GB retain their men’s 4x200m freestyle title at the Paris Olympics and will compete in the men’s 200m individual medley final on Friday, August 2 2024.
Reflecting on his decision to join Strictly, Dean said, “Naturally you want to take a break after you’ve had a full Olympic cycle and the opportunity arose. I thought it would be really exciting to try something a bit different,” as reported by the PA news agency.
While the BBC has yet to confirm Dean’s participation, a spokesperson stated, “Celebrity contestants for this year will be announced in due course.” Contestants are typically revealed by the BBC through TV or radio shows.
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Dean, a three-time Olympic champion, will be the ninth swimmer to participate in Strictly. He plans to seek advice from fellow British swimmer Adam Peaty, who finished ninth on the dance show in 2021.
Dean, alongside James Guy, Matt Richards, and Duncan Scott, made history in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final by being the first swimming team to defend an Olympic relay title with the same quartet.
Despite admitting that he doesn’t “do too well out of water,” Dean is enthusiastic about “throwing myself into” the dance competition and confident in his training discipline.
Other celebrities rumored to join this year’s series include Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, and former Arsenal player Paul Merson.
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