The eleventh celebrity contestant for Strictly Come Dancing has been revealed.
Former England footballer Tony Adams will take to the dance floor alongside the other confirmed contestants which include Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and Loose Women’s Kaye Adams.
Adams, 55, captained Arsenal and England during his 22-year professional career, winning 66 caps for his country and appearing at four major tournaments.
He memorably captained the national side as they reached the semi-finals of Euro 96 before crashing out against Germany.
So... I’m officially swapping my battered old football boots for the ballroom shoes! The lure of the sequins was simply too much!
— Tony Adams (@TonyAdams) August 10, 2022
I am thrilled to be a part of the 20th anniversary of @bbcstrictly this year.. I can’t wait to meet my partner and get dancing🕺 #Strictly pic.twitter.com/CMCqhL5Ddj
While he was playing he founded Sporting Chance, a charity to help sportspeople with mental health and addiction issues.
On retirement, the father-of-six with wife Poppy went into coaching and management.
He said: “To say I’m excited is an understatement – the lure of the sequins and the call of the salsa has me swapping my battered old football boots for a set of Strictly soft shoes.
“Am absolutely thrilled to be giving it my all on this year’s 20th anniversary of Strictly Come Dancing. I can’t wait to meet my partner – god help her – and start the dancing.”
The last series of Strictly was won by Rose Ayling-Ellis with professional partner Giovanni Pernice.
The 20th series will see audiences return to the studio, with the launch show scheduled to be recorded on September 7.
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