Strictly Come Dancing: Adam Peaty joins the 2021 lineup
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Strictly Come Dancing has concluded its announcements for the 2021 line-up by naming Ugo Monye as the 15th and final contestant to be taking part. Ugo is a broadcaster, sports pundit and former England rugby player and he is most looking forward to the glitz and the glamour of the show as well as getting the chance to impress his daughters.
Having begun his rugby career at Harlequins back in 2002, Ugo then went onto make 241 appearances for the club.
He scored 89 tries and won a Premiership, making his England debut in 2008.
Since retiring in 2015, Ugo has become a respected face and voice in the world of sports presenting, hosting rugby coverage for BT Sport and ITV as well as the BBC 5 Live Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
In July 2021, it was announced Ugo would be one of the new team Captains on BBC One’s A Question of Sport.
And his commitment to making rugby more accessible for all has seen him recently named the first-ever Chairman of England Rugby’s new Diversity and Inclusion committee.
So why does he want to take part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition?
He said: “What a dream come true! Strictly is the biggest entertainment show on TV and I can’t wait to show everyone I’ve got more than just dad dancing moves.
“My two beautiful daughters never had a chance to see me on the rugby pitch, so to know they can watch me waltzing and twirling every week is really special to me.
“I love an outfit at the best of times, so bring on the sequins!”
As for how rugby players have done on the show in previous years – it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Out of 19 series (including this year), Ugo is the seventh ex-professional to sign up for the dance competition.
Martin Offiah took part in the very first series and ended up in fourth place while Matt Dawson came second place in the fourth series.
Kenny Logan, on the other hand, appeared in the fifth season and came fifth.
Austin Healey took fourth place in season six while Gavin Henson was awarded fifth place in season eight.
In the 11 series of the show, Ben Cohen was the eighth celebrity to exit while Thom Evans was the third to leave in series 12.
Ugo joins Loose Women’s Judi Love, Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty and EastEnder’s Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Nina Wadia OBE, Greg Wise and Matilda Ramsay have also been confirmed as well as BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker and ex-Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn.
Dragons’ Den’s Sara Davies has signed up alongside CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson.
Great British Bake Off champion John Whaite will make history dancing with a male professional while AJ Odudu, Robert Webb and Tom Fletcher are all hoping to beat him.
Strictly Come Dancing begins this September on the BBC.
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