The swimmer is the sixth contestant to be announced for the BBC One dancing competition.
Paralympic swimming gold medallist Ellie Simmonds has been announced as the sixth contestant to be taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The 27-year-old joins actors Kym Marsh and Will Mellor, comedian Jayde Adams, Loose Women’s Kaye Adams and Radio 2’s Richie Anderson.
Simmonds said she was “bursting with excitement” about joining the show but also admitted she was “petrified”.
The dancing competition is set to return to BBC One in September.
Speaking to Radio 5 Live’s Sunday Breakfast, Simmonds said: “I’m so excited, I just want to enjoy every second and try out the sequins and costumes.
“I’ll be the first dwarf doing this show and I just want to show how positive it is – being different is okay.”
She said while it would be “tough” – admitting she would be living off coffee once training begins – it was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.
Simmonds was the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing at the age of 13 – and was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year the same year.
During the 2008 competition, she won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events. Simmonds won two golds at London 2012 and another at Rio 2016.
She went on to present for BBC Sport after retiring from competitive swimming in 2020 and has also made documentaries, including Ellie Simmonds: A World without Dwarfism?.
Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas will all return to the Strictly judging panel this year.
They will be joined once again by Anton Du Beke, who has now permanently taken over from Bruno Tonioli.
More contestants will be announced in the coming days. The celebrities confirmed to take part so far include:
Kym Marsh
Actress and TV presenter Marsh currently hosts BBC One’s Morning Live and has appeared in Coronation Street and The Syndicate.
“I’m nervous but I’m really looking forward to it,” she told BBC Breakfast on Thursday.
In the early noughties, Marsh was a member of pop group Hear’Say, who were created on talent show Popstars.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been on stage, performing in that kind of way, so it’s going to be really tricky, but I’m up for the challenge,” she said about joining Strictly.
Asked how she would deal with criticism from the judges, she joked: “Listen, I was judged by Nasty Nigel in Popstars, he was the villain back in the day, so I think I’ll be fine with it.
Will Mellor
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Mellor is known for appearing in Hollyoaks, Coronation Street, Casualty and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
The actor said he was “honestly so chuffed to be taking part” in Strictly Come Dancing.
“It’s getting a bit frightening now,” Mellor told BBC Breakfast about taking part in the show.
Asked if he could dance well, he replied: “It depends what you call well. I dance in the kitchen or at parties like anybody does, but nothing at all like I’m doing here, I’m way out of my comfort zone.”
He explained: “My mindset completely changed a while back, and I just thought, I’ve got to start doing things that frighten me.
“I lost my dad in 2020 and from then I just thought, I’ve just got to grab life. I’ve got to create new memories.”
Mellor reached number five in the UK singles chart with When I Need You in 1998.
He recently toured the UK with a live version of the popular podcast he co-hosts with Ralf Little, Two Pints with Will and Ralf.
Richie Anderson
Richie Anderson reads the travel on several shows across BBC Radio 2, and has previously helped cover the Eurovision Song Contest and The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the station. He also covers stories for The One Show.
The presenter said joining Strictly was a “dream come true”, adding that he “cannot wait to get in those sparkles and sequins”.
“Strictly is the ultimate feel-good show, as soon as I hear that iconic theme tune it’s just pure escapism,” Anderson said.
“I’m going to have to cancel my legendary Strictly launch night kitchen party that I throw every year,” he added, joking: “I’m sure my friends and family will understand.”
Anderson will become the third celebrity contestant to compete as part of a same-sex couple, following Nicola Adams and John Whaite.
He said: “I remember watching Nicola Adams do it a couple years ago and John Whaite last year, and I remember just thinking – me growing up when I was coming to terms with what I am or what I’m not – it would have been amazing for me to see something like John and Johannes and Nicola and Katya on such a big show.”
Kaye Adams
Kaye Adams, 59, is a broadcaster known for presenting ITV’s Loose Women.
She said: “I said I wanted to make the last year of my fifties memorable and I can’t think of a better way of doing it than showing the world my two left feet. Pray for me!”
As well as presenting on the ITV topical discussion show, she also hosts the morning show on BBC Radio Scotland.
She started her career as a news journalist presenting programmes for various TV channels, including STV, the BBC and Channel 5.
This year she also started her popular podcast, How To Be 60 with Kaye Adams.
Jayde Adams
The comedian was announced as the fifth contestant to be taking part.
“I cannot begin to express the emotions I am feeling,” she said in a statement. “This means so much to me and my family.”
Jayde Adams, who is currently performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, has won several comedy awards and is also an actor.
She said she had been a “massive fan” of the show for years.
“I’ve always watched it, apart from a brief hiatus in 2011 as I was relentlessly gigging every weekend (to try and get on Strictly),” she said.
“I feel like I’m watching myself in a dream and I can’t believe I’ve manifested this. Holding this in has been torture for me!”