Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoeker has reportedly signed for this year's Strictly Come Dancing and is set to begin rehearsals for the BBC show in the coming weeks. The 25-year-old, who won gold in the mixed team skeleton at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, has become the first person to take part in two prime time TV shows, signing for Strictly in the same week she made her Gladiators debut.
A packed TV schedule
Tabby will have her work cut out to fit in rehearsal time. She is currently filming Gladiators in Sheffield at the Utilita Arena and will then have to travel to London for Strictly.
A TV source told The Sun: "Signing with two of telly’s biggest shows is hugely prestigious. It is virtually unprecedented."
They added: "It also means that she’ll be on our screens on a Saturday night for almost seven months in a row. Strictly runs from September to December and Gladiators airs from January and can go on until March. She’s likely to be invited on the Strictly tour in the new year too — so she’s going to be kept very busy and will see her profile soar."
From gymnast to Olympian
Tabby began her career as the British Schools Gymnastics Champion and was also an acrobat before switching paths, a move that earned her a string of medals.
Another Gladiator axed
News of Tabby's double signing comes after it was reported that a third Gladiator star had fallen victim to the BBC's ruthless axe. Lystus Ebosele, better known as Cyclone, will no longer appear in the upcoming series after joining the show in 2025.
Cyclone's departure was confirmed when the Gladiator tag was removed from her Instagram bio. She also unfollowed production company Hungry Bear and deleted all pictures of herself as a Gladiator.
A source told The Sun: "Cyclone won’t be back and she’s not happy about it. She’s now cut all ties with the show – it’s a pity as fans absolutely loved her."
Two other Gladiators – Bionic (Matty Campbell) and Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) – have also been cut. A source said: "They won’t film this year for the show but could be back for the tour, depending on how they recover from their injuries."
A BBC spokesman declined to comment on Tabby's rumoured Strictly signing, saying: "We don't comment on speculation."
