Yorkshire Post

BOXING CHAMP TO DANCE WITH WOMAN Step in ‘ right direction’ for Strictly with same- sex couple says Adams

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LEEDS BOXING champion Nicola Adams has said being paired with a female profession­al on Strictly Come Dancing is a “brilliant step in the right direction, especially on the diversity side of things,” after it is reported she will dance alongside Katya Jones as the first ever same- sex dance couple.

Though it has not yet been officially announced, the pair were spotted leaving filming together yesterday morning and ballroom pro Katya, 31, previously said that she would “love” to be a part of the historic show’s first same- sex pairing.

The Olympic gold medalwinni­ng boxer Adams, 37, said: “It means a lot to me. I think it’s a brilliant step in the right direction especially on the diversity side of things.

“And women actually dance with women all the time in the profession­al circuit so I guess it’s just showing people that it can be done”.

Katya, a Strictly Come Dancing profession­al, told the Sunday Mirror: “I would love to dance with a woman on the show. I think creatively it would be really interestin­g.”

Adams will become the first celebrity to be part of a samesex pairing on the popular BBC One series when it returns on October 17 for the launch show.

This year’s series will be shorter than usual due to the pandemic, with the first live show due to air on Saturday October 24.

Adams has made a remarkable journey from the streets of Burmantoft­s to Olympic gold boxing champion and remains a sporting hero and inspiratio­n to millions of women and girls around the world.

The 37- year- old retired from the ring late last year with an unbeaten record

She announced the news in an exclusive open letter to the readers of the

Post.

“I think it’s a brilliant step in the right direction Nicola Adams, two- time Olympic Boxing champion

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 ?? PICTURE: RAY BURMISTON/ BBC/ PA WIRE ?? GLITTERBAL­L GANG: Boxer Nicola Adams, one of the contestant­s in this year’s BBC1 dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing; among the people she will be competing against will be comedian Bill Bailey, top right, and actress Caroline Quentin,
PICTURE: RAY BURMISTON/ BBC/ PA WIRE GLITTERBAL­L GANG: Boxer Nicola Adams, one of the contestant­s in this year’s BBC1 dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing; among the people she will be competing against will be comedian Bill Bailey, top right, and actress Caroline Quentin,

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