Tony Adams: Who is the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 contestant and what is he famous for?

Ex-footballer is an Arsenal legend and one of the contestants strutting their stuff on the dancefloor this year

It’s time to put on your dancing shoes... Strictly Come Dancing is back.

The hit BBC reality series has a whole new roster of contestants competing in 2022, including TV presenters, athletes, and pop stars.

You can check out the full line-up here.

Among the contestants competing for the Glitterball trophy this year is Tony Adams. He is coupled up with Katya Jones.

But who is Adams, and what has he said about appearing on Strictly?

Adams is a former professional footballer and manager who spent his entire playing career at Arsenal, between the years of 1983 and 2002.

A club captain, Adams has been celebrated with a statue at the team’s current ground, the Emirates Stadium.

In his managerial career, Adams took charge of teams including Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth, and Spanish side Granada. He was awarded an MBE in 1999.

Adams and partner Katya Jones (BBC/Guy Levy)

Adams has had a well-documented history with addiction. His 1998 book, Addicted, reflects on his descent into alcoholism during his playing days.

Speaking ahead of his Strictly appearance, Adams said: “I’ve been asked to come on a few times, I’m retired now and I thought the time was right. I have had a few health issues over the past few years, and I was working too hard.

“Recently I’ve decided to put my feet up and watch my kids grow up, I’m now free of addiction and I can do anything I want. So I have decided to learn a new skill, dancing! It looks like a fun show so I am looking forward to it.”

Adams has been at the bottom of the leaderboard in weeks one, two and three on Strictly, but has managed to avoid elimination – suggesting he must be doing something right in the eyes of the viewing public.

A strong performance in week four was followed by another low-scoring week, but Adams nonetheless survived.

His Halloween week dance, however, went down a storm with the judges. Dressed as the devil, Adams performed a Quickstep to “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band.

Week seven saw Adams receive yet more negative remarks from the judges, receiving a score of 21.

In week eight, Adams did the Jive. He found it “physically really demanding”, possibly something to do with those mad roly-polies, but the crowd went absolutely wild. He scored 24.

Strictly Come Dancing continues every Saturday and Sunday on BBC One.