Footballer Andy Carroll has confirmed that Kevin Adams, a dance coach who appeared on the BBC show Fame Academy, is the man who sexually assaulted him in 2021. Carroll made the confirmation after Adams' name was shared publicly in court documents.
"Now that Kevin Adams has been named in court documents as my abuser, I can confirm it," Carroll said. The former England, Liverpool and Newcastle player revealed in his new autobiography, Owning It: In My Own Words, that he was sexually assaulted by a male celebrity in 2021. He had previously said that only a few loved ones knew about the attack before the book was published, and he did not name the man in the memoir.
Assault at Carroll's home
Carroll has since told The Sun that his attacker is Adams, who was a dance coach on the BBC's Fame Academy in 2002. Adams assaulted Carroll as he slept naked. "Hopefully, now I can finally start to put this chapter behind me," Carroll said.
As the assault unfolded, Carroll woke up and threw Adams out, knocking him unconscious when he tried to return. Adams then told police that he had been hit for no reason.
Judge's remarks and sentencing
The judge later told Adams: "You spun a literally incredible tale in which you painted yourself as the victim. You've actually started to believe your own lies." Carroll has asked that "people don't constantly share pictures of [his] abuser alongside [him]". He said: "I don't want to keep seeing his face or being reminded of him every time this story is spoken about. I'm ready to move forward. This had a devastating impact on my life and loved ones."
Adams was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in 2023, where he was jailed for 20 months and placed on the sex offenders register. He was also banned from visiting the village in which Carroll lives.
Carroll's account in his autobiography
In his book, Carroll wrote: "Something happened to me a few years ago that was so traumatic I only decided to include it in this book at the very last minute. I was sexually assaulted; there I said it. Scary to even think about, and only a few people knew about it before now." He explained that he discussed including the incident in the memoir with his partner, Lou Teasdale.
"I avoided my publisher for so long that they probably suspected I got cold feet," he said. "Scary to talk about, but it's made me the person I am today as much as any of the good stuff. And if me talking about it helps just one person, then good, it will have been worth it."
At the time, details of Adams' conviction were not published, and he continued to maintain a social media presence. The attack happened at Carroll's home during his second spell with his hometown club Newcastle. Adams' social media profile has been set to private since he was contacted by The Sun on Sunday.
