Tabby Stoecker started the year making history as the first woman of colour to win gold for Team GB at the Winter Olympics, and she’s finishing it by competing for the prestigious Strictly Glitterball.
The 25-year-old from Highgate, London, is a skeleton racer who won mixed team gold at the Milano-Cortina Games, and has also signed up for Gladiators – though she’s keeping schtum.
But having swapped her sled for a pair of dance shoes, Tabby is now knee-deep in rehearsals for BBC ’s Strictly, a show she’s watched since she was little. “I’ve had the wildest year,” she tells us. “This time last year, I was a bundle of nerves trying to chase my Olympic dreams. I’d never been in front of a camera, on a TV show, never been to the Olympics… My whole life has done a complete 180.”
When she got the call that she was part of the Strictly cast of 2026, she was alone on the Tube – and kept losing connection. She says, “I think I screamed out loud. Apologies to anyone on that carriage that day – they must have thought there was some kind of emergency!”
Since her mum Alison found out, she dances and sings the Strictly theme tune at her every time they meet – and her boyfriend Pat was “over the moon, he knows what this year has meant to me already’’.
Tabby dubs herself a “total novice” when it comes to dancing. And to add to the nervous excitement, she also had no idea who her pro partner was until Saturday’s launch show.
“The launch show was the most perfect kind of chaos – it was unbelievably fun finding out our partners through dance! Now it’s over, my nerves have settled ever so slightly because I officially have someone’s hand to hold throughout the show,” she says.
Before finding out who her pro partner would be, Tabby practised with all the dancers – and the laughter began the moment they started practising lifts. She reveals, “I think it was Mark who was lifting me once, and I just, without realising, went, ‘Wheeee!’ I made this silly noise, and he just looked at me and burst out laughing.”
The pre-recorded group dance was another eye-opener. She laughs, “It was the first time I’d been in full Strictly glam. I did not recognise myself. And it was the first time I had to dance in heels. I’m used to trainers or sprint spikes, I felt like Bambi.”
It was also the first time Tabby had been in a room with the other celebs, show judges and hosts, but she says it did really feel like “one big family”. She says, “I’m one of the youngest celebrities this year, so everyone’s kind of taken me under their wing, which is lovely.”
She has already bonded with House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia and Australian singer Delta Goodrem. And the celebs have a lively WhatsApp group chat on the go, with actress Jaime Winstone proving to be the biggest joker so far.
Tabby says, “We’ve had lots of funny GIFs from Jaime. But we’re all talking about falling over in rehearsals and laughing at ourselves. That’s the British way, isn’t it?”
The Olympian is clearly up for a challenge, but admits that she’s worried about shaking those hips in the more steamy, sensual Latin dances.
She says, “I’m excited to explore that side of myself, through dance. I’m used to lying flat, like head-first sprinting. For skeleton, my body is in a very specific, quite rigid position. So, I’ve never had to think of having that kind of flow and shape to my movements.
“I’m an elite athlete, but I have never sweated so much in my life. That’s really saying something about how demanding the training is. I’m quite nervous about feedback from Shirley [Ballas]. I feel like she often says some really lovely things, but then also gives very technical feedback. We’ll see.”
The tan, sequins and sparkles involved are out of her comfort zone, too, but Tabby confesses, The little girl in me is squealing.” Of the new hosts, she says, “Emma [Willis] and Josh [Widdicombe] are so lovely. And JoJo [Radebe] gives us all words of encouragement – and the biggest hugs. It feels like we’re all in the same boat this year, stepping into this new journey.”
Tabby is part-Nigerian, and immensely proud to be representing her multicultural background on one of the biggest shows on telly. She says, “It’s so important to show all the different cultures that exist in our country – and celebrate the successes of everybody who is British.”
She says there’s still a part of her that’s coming down from her epic Olympic win – but on the day itself, her niece brought her back down to earth. Tabby says, “I stepped off the podium, and she came to greet me. I thought, ‘Oh, she’s going to want to wear the medal.’ No, she just wanted to do a thumb war. I let her win, of course!”
Before taking up skeleton racing, Tabby spent years practising circus arts – including the flying trapeze – and she believes it solidified her love of extreme sports.
So, any chance we’ll see some of her trapeze skills on the show? “Well, you never know. I think it would definitely be a Strictly first,” she laughs. “I love adrenaline, anything that’s going to make my stomach drop. So if I get the opportunity, I wouldn’t say no.”
And as an athlete at the top of her game, it’s no surprise Tabby has her eye on the Glitterball. “Wouldn’t it be fantastic to add that to my collection of trophies this year? So I’m going to go for it.”
Tabby is prepared for the show to launch her into a new level of fame, but is most excited to use her platform to show young women the sky is the limit.
She says, “I do an extreme winter sport that’s male- dominated. I want to show that women can do it and still lean into their feminine side, the two can co-exist.”
Tabby will still be training for her sport alongside her dance routines, which sounds like a gruelling schedule. “Coffee and at least 10 hours sleep a night will be my friends!” she laughs.
But for the first time in years, because she won’t be competing in skeleton while she’s on the show, Tabby can enjoy the run-up to Christmas with her nearest and dearest. “I’m normally competing in Europe, America or Korea, so I’ll actually see more of them,” she smiles.
As for who’ll be coming to the Strictly studio for the live shows, she admits, “I have a spreadsheet, which is filling up. And, at home, there will be watch parties every Saturday. Let’s hope there are plenty of them ahead!”
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