British swimmer Tom Dean has seemingly broken Strictly Come Dancing rules after confirming he’ll appear in the upcoming series.

The BBC takes extensive measures to keep the identities of the celebrities participating in each series a secret and stars typically remain silent on any rumors until the official announcement is made.

However, Dean, 24, confirmed the news after reaching the final of the men’s 200 metres individual medley on Thursday night and said he intends to seek out the wisdom of his Team GB teammate, Adam Peaty, who finished ninth on the BBC show in 2021, alongside professional dancer Katya Jones.

The three-time Olympic champion 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.”

“I’ve not seen (Adam) yet. He did brilliantly on it so I’ll be getting a few tips from him, for sure.”

Dean is the first contestant to announce they will be appearing on the 2024 edition of the show, when it returns in the autumn.

As the series prepares for its September launch, contestants are unveiled through a strategic rollout on various chat and radio shows.

These announcements are complemented by a coordinated social media campaign, with dedicated posts going live to introduce each participant.

Strictly Come Dancing 2024: The Leaked Lineup

And now fans of Strictly will wonder if this constitutes as a rule break considering the BBC likes to announce participants in their own way.

While Dean is one of the best swimmers the UK has produced, he admitted he is less assured of himself on dry land.

He added: “I don’t do too well out of water in gravity sports. I’m throwing myself into it and I know what a hard day’s training is like so I’m looking forward to it. I guess we’ll find out.

“It’s something to look forward to and once I finish this, back home, relax a bit with the family and then we crack on end of August time. It’s exciting.”

Dean won the men’s 200m freestyle title at Tokyo 2020 and, earlier this week, the 24-year-old from Bath, plus James Guy, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott made history in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final.

In winning gold, they became the first swimming team ever to defend an Olympic relay title with the same quartet.

Dean involvement means he will be part of a proud tradition of elite athletes gracing the Strictly dance floor, following in the footsteps of Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane, Paralympic swimming medalist Lauren Steadman, and bronze medalist Louis Smith.

Reports regarding the athlete’s involvement comes as the Strictly 2024 line up was allegedly “leaked”, including the likes of Pete Wicks, Paul Merson and Nick Knowles.

According to a Reddit post seen by Metro, 15 stars are set to compete in the upcoming season amid ongoing controversy over allegations of behind-the-scenes bullying.

The Leaked List of Celebrities

The list of 15 celebrities set to compete for the coveted Glitterball trophy allegedly includes DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, former Arsenal player Paul Merson, and CBeebies star Chris McCausland.

The line-up is said to feature some high-profile participants, including Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham. Also rumored to join are Loose Women panellist Janet Street-Porter, Coronation Street alum Shobna Gulati and Blue singer Duncan James.

Other notable names on the list include Doctor Who’s Pearl Mackie, Olympic cycling champion Dame Laura Kenny, and TOWIE star Pete Wicks. Comedian Sarah Millican and former Outnumbered child star Tyger-Drew-Honey are also reportedly set to take part.

Former footballer and One Show presenter Jermaine Jenas, DJ and former I’m a Celebrity contestant Jordan North, and EastEnders actress Shona McGarty are also rumored to hit the dancefloor.

Rounding out the “leaked” list are comedy star Sunil Patel and Tracy Beaker Returns actor Kia Pegg. The celebrities are expected to begin rehearsals next month in preparation for the new season.

A BBC spokesperson told The Standard: “The celebrity contestants for this series will be announced in due course.”

The Storm Before the Glitterball

Dean’s 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.

It will be interesting to see how the BBC handles the situation, especially with the pressure mounting from the public and within the show. Tom Dean’s participation is sure to bring extra attention to the show and its ongoing controversy. Will the show be able to recover from the scandal and deliver another successful season? The dance floor awaits.