Who is Strictly Come Dancing contestant Sam Quek? Meet the Team GB hockey Olympian joining BBC ballroom dance show

SAM Quek rose to fame after securing an Olympic gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Since then, she has become a highly sought-after TV presenter and host and is set to join Strictly Come Dancing in 2024.

Who is Sam Quek?

Sam Quek, a TV presenter, host, and former Olympian, was born in Liverpool in 1988.

She studied Sport & Exercise Science and later gained fame as a field hockey player.

Her career transitioned to television, where she has presented a variety of sports shows, including American football on the BBC, field hockey on BT Sport, rugby union on Channel 5, and football for Channel 4 and LFC TV.

When will Sam Quek appear on Strictly Come Dancing 2024?

The star's name has been announced for this year's Strictly.

Sam joining the line-up comes just two days after swimmer Tom Dean, who won gold in Paris this week, was revealed as another Strictly signing.

A TV insider said: “The show is really tapping into the buzz surrounding the Olympics this year, as well as heavily leaning into BBC talent - perhaps more than ever before.

“But Sam has very much become a star in her own right in recent years, and has been carving out a niche as a presenter.

“She’ll also bring some much-needed glamour to this year’s line-up.”

When did Sam Quek's hockey career begin?

Sam began playing hockey as soon as she started secondary school.

Her talents were quickly noticed, leading to her selection to represent Wirral at the Merseyside Youth Games.

After winning the games, she was chosen for additional hockey competitions in Liverpool.

She later became a defender and represented the national teams of both England and Great Britain.

When did Sam Quek compete in the Olympics?

Sam competed in the 2016 Olympics as part of the Great Britain field hockey team.

Her teammates included Crista Cullen, Maddie Hinch, Shona McCallin, Helen Richardson-Walsh, and Susannah Townsend.

Together, they secured a gold medal during the games.

What TV shows has Sam Quek been on?

Sam appeared as a contestant on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2016, alongside notable names such as Scarlett Moffatt, Adam Thomas, and Joel Dommett.

She was the ninth person to be voted off the series.

In 2020, she participated in Celebrity Masterchef, where she secured third place.

The star was also on BBC's The Weakest Link during and Olympics special back in 2022.

She then went on to launch her presenting career covering the Tokyo Games in 2020 and becoming team captain on A Question of Sport.

Is Sam in a relationship?

Sam got engaged in 2017 and married Thomas Mairs in 2018.

Tom, a property entrepreneur featured on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, runs his own student housing business in Liverpool.

Sam and Tom met in a Liverpool bar and have been together for eight years.

The couple have two children, Molly Doris Mairs and Isaac Gregory Mairs, both two years old.