Olympic swimmer Tom Dean has dance moves ready amid Strictly rumours (original) (raw)

Olympic swimmer Tom Dean made a surprise Strictly Come Dancing announcement at the Paris Games, claiming to be in the 2024 cast of the BBC series.

But who is Dean and what does his life look like outside of the Olympic pool? The Team GB star is a firm favourite with sports fans and has dedicated his life to competition success.

Here's everything you need to know about Strictly's apparent first member of the class of '24.

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up so far

Who is Tom Dean?

Tom Dean is a triple Olympic gold medallist swimmer, who won two golds at the Tokyo Olympics and currently has one gold at the Paris Olympics.

He is England's most-decorated Commonwealth athlete who competes in the 200m freestyle, 200m medley and 4 x 200m freestyle relay with his Team GB teammates.

The 24-year-old was born in London and grew up in Berkshire, but now lives and trains in Bath where he went to university to study mechanical engineering.

His swimming teammates include James Guy, Duncan Scott and Matt Richards.

What did Tom Dean say about Strictly?

Paris , France - 30 July 2024; Team Great Britain swimmers Tom Dean, left, and Matthew Richards celebrate their win in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final at the Paris La Défense Arena during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Tom Dean made his comments at the Paris Games. (Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Dean appeared to break with Strictly protocol of keeping the cast a secret until their big reveals on TV and radio by announcing his own casting in an interview after qualifying for the 200m medley final.

He had already won a gold for the 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the Paris Games, and talking about his post-Olympic plans on 1 August he 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. I’ll be doing that and straight back into training after it. It’s something to look forward to."

He also added that he would be looking to another Team GB swimmer, Adam Peaty who took part in Strictly 2021, for support: "I’ve not seen (Adam Peaty) yet. He did brilliantly on it so I’ll be getting a few tips from him, for sure."

Neither Strictly nor Dean's reps have confirmed the news as yet.

Tom Dean's dance experience

He might not have any ballroom experience, but Dean has admitted that he does love to throw some shapes when he gets a rare night out with his swimming relay team pals.

Talking to GQ ahead of the 2024 Olympics, he said: "Every time we go on a night out, we go straight into our individual strokes and just start stretching out. It attracts quite a bit of attention.

"We'll see a bit of that in London for that closing ceremony watch party. Everyone will be busting out a few different moves – backstroke down the dance floor."

Tough training regime

PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 30: Tom Dean (R), Duncan Scott (C-L), Matthew Richards (C-R) and James Guy (L) of Great Britain Team celebrate after winning gold in the Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, France on July 30, 2024. (Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Tom Dean (R), Duncan Scott (C-L), Matthew Richards (C-R) and James Guy (L) won gold in Paris. (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Dean has been a keen swimmer since childhood, training six days a week and spending four hours a day in the pool.

He eats a 7,000 calorie diet, which includes two breakfasts, and added to GQ: "You've got to live like a robot, train consistently and not let anything distract you," telling how he often has to miss celebrations with friends and family to make sure he avoids illness, injury and getting too tired.

But he also said: "I've got a list on my phone for post-Olympics plans and most of it is just to spend time with people I've not had a chance to. I wouldn't mind playing a bit of five-a-side with my mates, too."

Apparently, Strictly is on that list, too.

Dean is one of five children, who all trained in swimming as kids with mum Jacquie Hughes getting them up at 5.15am to get to the pool.

He has said that he learned his work ethic from his sister Connie who he says trained harder than anyone he has seen, and she also praised his commitment when speaking to the BBC from the Paris Games.

She said: "You don't see all the work that goes on in the dark. This is just the light. To see him do that after decades of work, it's indescribable. It's a gruelling sport. You're waking up at 5am, you have to go to bed at a certain time every day, you have to eat right."

Meanwhile, his mum has a close link with the BBC and managed to fit Dean's tough training schedule around her demanding job.

She told Radio Times: "I was an investigative TV journalist in current affairs for 20 years. Then I was a commissioning editor at the BBC, and head of documentary and history. I now do media policy and strategy and work in the Middle East. It’s only with hindsight that you look back and go, 'That was a lot,' but it was just what we did."

Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One this autumn.