Olympic champion Adam Peaty finds himself at the centre of a deeply personal crisis as his older brother, James Peaty, has been arrested by police following alleged threats made during Adam's stag weekend. The incident marks a significant escalation in an ongoing family feud that has now resulted in most of the swimmer's relatives being uninvited from his upcoming wedding to Holly Ramsay.
The Arrest and Police Involvement
Staffordshire Police confirmed they arrested a 34-year-old man from the Uttoxeter area on November 11, 2025, on suspicion of harassment. James Peaty was subsequently released on conditional bail while investigations continue. The arrest followed an incident where Adam, returning from his Budapest stag do with future father-in-law Gordon Ramsay, was met by police at Manchester Airport after allegedly receiving threatening text messages.
According to sources close to the situation, Holly Ramsay alerted authorities after becoming concerned about the messages Adam received during his celebrations. The Olympian, who is set to marry Ramsay in just weeks, has been embroiled in a heated dispute with his family, with claims suggesting he has distanced himself from his working-class roots in favour of his famous in-laws.
Family Breakdown and Mental Health Concerns
Mark Peaty, the brothers' father, has broken his silence on the situation, expressing concern that the conflict has spiralled out of control. "They're brothers, they've always been close, but like any normal family, brothers fight, argue, fall out, make up and start all over again," he told The Sun. "But it's got out of hand, there's been very little empathy towards Jamie's genuine mental health difficulties."
This isn't the first time tensions have surfaced between the siblings. The brothers initially fell out in 2021 following the publication of Adam's autobiography, where he addressed his siblings' "demons" including previous drug usage. Although they reconciled, with James reportedly asked to be a groomsman at the wedding, their relationship deteriorated again in June this year while James was working on a building project for Adam.
Wedding Fallout and Family Exclusion
The situation has become so strained that Adam's mother, Caroline, who dedicated years to supporting his swimming career, has been uninvited from the wedding. Only Adam's sister is expected to attend from his immediate family. Caroline was notably absent from Holly Ramsay's hen do, which included Holly's mother Tana and sister Victoria Ramsay.
Louise, Caroline's sister, has publicly criticised Adam and Holly, accusing them of body-shaming after Caroline was reportedly asked to wear a different dress for the wedding before being uninvited. "How can Adam and Holly 'source' sit there and say Caroline wasn't invited because of the way my sister looks?" she fumed. "She doesn't suit the look Holly is looking for?! WTF body shaming a 60-year-old woman!"
A source close to the situation suggested that Adam believes his mother has been enabling James's alleged behaviour, while another source claimed the police involvement was "ridiculous" as James had no intention of harming his brother. Neither Adam Peaty nor Holly Ramsay has publicly commented on the family dispute despite multiple attempts by media outlets to reach them.
