Adam Peaty has insisted his focus is firmly on the pool as he prepares for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, vowing to block out the noise surrounding his high-profile wedding and family fallout. The three-time Olympic champion, who married Holly Ramsay, daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, in December, has become a regular fixture in gossip columns amid a much-publicised rift with most of his family.
The tension escalated after Peaty's mother, Caroline, was not invited to the bride's hen do, and controversy continued on the wedding day itself when paparazzi photographers clashed with bodyguards outside the venue. A scuffle broke out before Gordon gave Holly away, leaving the bride and the Hell's Kitchen star caught in the middle of the melee before entering the abbey.
Peaty, who has taken on the Ramsay name, admitted he and Holly have not handled the 'noise' surrounding their romance as well as they could have. However, speaking to The Independent, he made clear he wants supporters to concentrate on his performances in Glasgow, saying: "That's the Adam people should see – the racer. Everything else is my private life."
The 30-year-old, who recently announced he and Holly are expecting their first child, insists he thrives under pressure. "Pressure can be given to anyone, but it’s probably best in my hands because the more pressure I'm under, the better I perform," he said. "At the same time, you need a strategy for managing the noise and we probably haven't done that as well as we could, but I'll make sure the swimming does the talking."
Peaty, who took silver at the 2024 Olympics after a difficult 2023 in which he withdrew from events to focus on mental health, also revealed a shift in mindset. "I don't see success as medals anymore," he said. "That's not defeatist and it's not waving the white flag. It's probably the opposite. Success for me is coming away from Glasgow knowing I've done absolutely everything I possibly could to finish as high as I can."
