Strictly Come Dancing has reportedly signed up its second contestant for the 2024 series who has “everything it takes to win”.
Hockey star Sam Quek, who won gold for Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, has reportedly signed up for Strictly Come Dancing.
The news comes after Olympic swimmer Tom Dean confirmed his place in the BBC line-up weeks before the show’s official announcement.
A TV source said on Friday: “The show is really tapping into the buzz surrounding the Olympics this year, as well as heavily leaning into BBC talent – perhaps more than ever before.
“But Sam has recently become a star and carved out a niche as a presenter, bringing much-needed glamour to this year’s line-up,” they told The Sun.
Since her Olympics success, Sam, 35, has enjoyed a successful TV career, joining A Question of Sport as a team captain in 2020 and taking part in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2016, finishing in fourth place.
Other stars rumoured to have signed up include Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, Love Islander Tasha Ghouri, Nick Knowles, TOWIE star Pete Wicks, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, footballer Paul Merson and blind comedian Chris McCausland.
Tom Dean, 24, let slip that he has signed up for Strictly after reaching the Paris Olympics final of the men’s 200 metres individual medley on Thursday night.
Tom 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.”
The three-time Olympic champion said he would seek advice from his Team GB teammate, Adam Peaty, who took part in Strictly in 2021 with Katya Jones.
The announcement comes amid a storm of controversy over the treatment of contestants on the BBC show.
The results of an investigation, launched by the BBC following allegations made about Giovanni Pernice by former participant Amanda Abbington, will reportedly be published this week.
The 33-year-old Italian professional dancer has rejected allegations of “threatening or abusive behaviour” made by Sherlock actress Abbington, who was partnered with him in 2023 before he left the show.
Graziano Di Prima was also axed from the professional line-up after allegations about his treatment of Zara McDermott.
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Source: New York Post
