Adam Peaty, a beacon of hope for Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics, spoke in profoundly personal terms about how Gordon Ramsay saved him from a “deep, dark hole” when he started dating the acclaimed chef’s daughter.
A three-time Olympic gold medallist, Peaty, at 29, showcased his sporting prowess to the world in Rio and Tokyo. However, even amidst this triumphant backdrop, a series of personal setbacks threw him off course.
A defeat at the 2022 Commonwealth Games marked an end to his eight-year winning streak and coincided with a painful separation from his son’s mother.
This challenging period, which the swimmer recalls as “three years of hell” was only mitigated when he began a relationship with Holly Ramsay, whom he met on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.
Peaty shared how Ramsay, an eight-Michelin star chef, catalysed his journey back to competitive vigour from a life blurred by alcohol and partying. He swam back to being a motivated Olympian under Ramsay’s influence, reports the Mirror.
He disclosed to The Sunday Times in April 2024, “He [Ramsay] is an incredible energy to be around and an incredible person to have that guidance from. Gordon is a high performer.
“He worked his way up to the upper echelons of his industry and works in a place where there’s no bulls**t. I take a lot from that and from the professionalism he has every single day with a relentless pursuit.
“So, when I see that, I’m like, ‘Yeah, why can’t I work like this? Why can’t I do this every single day? Why do I have to be so emotionally engaged with things?”
Peaty and Holly Ramsay confirmed their relationship in June 2023, after starting to date the previous month. By December, they showcased matching tattoos as a mark of their love.
Peaty, who secured his ticket to Paris following a win in the British 100m men’s breaststroke, recording his fastest time since 2021, seems to share a rather friendly banter with his potential future father-in-law. The athlete couldn’t help but laugh when Ramsay threw one of his notorious jibes at him during a chat prior to the Olympics.
Ramsay was curious about Peaty’s plans post-Olympics. Responding to this, the Team GB star didn’t give much away, saying: “Who knows? You’re smiling, I’m not going to give you the pleasure. I’m not going to do it. You’re trapping me.”
The culinary icon from Hell’s Kitchen retorted in his typical colourful language: “You’re full of s**t! You are definitely not retiring. Absolutely, definitely not retiring.”
He even squeezed in another rib-tickling pun, further adding: “Very best of luck. Don’t f*** this up.”
