Tony Adams MBE is the eleventh celebrity contestant confirmed for the brand new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The multi-award-winning entertainment show, produced by BBC Studios, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for its 20th series this autumn, once again bringing glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to homes across the nation.
Tony Adams MBE is a former English football player and manager.
Tony Adams MBE 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.”
Tony Adams MBE is a football legend. The formidable centre-back’s football career spanned over 22 years, playing for both Arsenal and England. Having captained both, he is regarded as one of Arsenal’s greatest ever players and one of the all-time greats of English football. Tony Adams MBE won 66 caps for England, appeared at four major tournaments and had 10 major trophy wins whilst is still the only player in English football history to captain a team to three top flight titles over three different decades. As captain of England, he famously led the national team to the Euro 96 semi-finals. Whilst he was playing he founded Sporting Chance, a charity to help sportspeople with mental health and addiction issues of which he remains Honorary president today.
Upon retirement Tony Adams MBE, a father to six and husband to wife Poppy, went into coaching and management before recently launching his new venture, SIX MHS, which delivers Mental Health and Addictions services to non-sportspeople and non-sport’s organisations. He remains a patron of four other additional charities, NACOA, Forward Trust, Saving Faces, School Home Support and has started the charity, 6 Addiction, for people that can’t afford private mental health services.
The news was revealed today (Wednesday 10 August).
For interview requests, please contact clemmie.kirby@bbc.co.uk
The remaining celebrity contestants joining the new series will be announced in due course.
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