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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Footballer Tony Adams confirmed as the 11th celebrity for new series

Tony Adams has been confirmed as the latest celebrity taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing

(Picture: BBC)

Football legend Tony Adams has been announced as the eleventh celebrity set to take part in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

The 55-year-old retired centre-back’s career on the pitch spanned over 22 years and he served as captain for both Arsenal and England.

He boasts a total of 66 caps for England as well as 10 major trophy wins and, to this day, is still the only player in English football history to captain a team to three top flight titles over three different decades.

As England captain, he led the national team to the Euro 96 semi-final whilst also undertaking work at a charity which helps support sports stars with mental health and addiction issues.

Taking to social media to share the news with his fans, he wrote: “So... I’m officially swapping my battered old football boots for the ballroom shoes! The lure of the sequins was simply too much!

“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.”

This year marks Strictly’s 20th anniversary which will return to BBC One in the autumn hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

The full line-up of celebrities taking part has yet to be announced.

In addition to Adams, other contestants so far confirmed include five-time Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Ellie Simmonds, Kiss FM DJ Tyler West, comedian Jayde Adams, Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams, Radio 2 host Richie Anderson, Hear’Say singer and soap star Kym Marsh, and former Hollyoaks actor Will Mellor.

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