Adam Peaty has revealed how Gordon Ramsay pulled him out of a ‘deep, dark hole’ after three years of ‘hell’ that saw the swimmer withdraw from racing.
The three-time Olympic champion opened up on his relationship with the father of his girlfriend Holly, who he met when they both took part in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.
Peaty admitted the 57-year-old had helped him in his recovery from alcoholism, depression and split from the mother of his son Eirianedd Munro, which culminated in ‘three years of hell’ for the swimmer.
He told The Sunday Times the celebrity chef has emerged as a mentor and role model, who he looks up to for his ‘relentless pursuit’ and the how he has worked ‘his way up to the upper echelons of his industry’.
Peaty previously revealed that he ‘didn’t want to see a pool again’ after being ‘broken’ by the sport, turning to drinking and partying as an escape.
However he has now rediscovered his passion for swimming and earlier this week qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after winning the British 100m men’s breaststroke title with his quickest time since 2021.
Gordon Ramsay, Holly Ramsey and Adam Peaty pictured at the opening of Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat Restaurant in Manchester in June lat year
The three-time Olympic championin going out with Ramsey’s daughter Holly, who he met when they both took part on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2021
Earlier this week qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after winning the British 100m men’s breaststroke title with his quickest time since 2021
‘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 bullshit.
‘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?”
‘So I’ve changed my manner from seeing the way he operates around people and operates around his job.’
Peaty, 29, has been rebuilding his life after reaching a low point in 2022 when he split up with Ms Munro and lost an eight-year unbeaten streak after returning to the pool from a broken foot injury.
He said: ‘I’d felt like a god on so many occasions. Now I felt like a complete failure who’d let everyone down.
‘When it all became too much I started drinking. It was good to feel numb for a while but that’s just the starting point in that downward spiral. Life lost its colour, its fun and joy.’
Adam Peaty and his girlfriend Holly Ramsey, daughter of Gordon Ramsey, hand in had in the Silverstone paddock at the British F1 Grand Prix in July 2023
Gordon Ramsay is pictured with his daughter Holly Ramsay and new boyfriend Adam Peaty as they catch a helicopter to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix
Adam Peaty is pictured with Holly Ramsay, daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay. They met while on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, and went public with their relationship in June 2023
Adam Peaty with ex-partner Eirianedd Munro, the mother of his son George. They split in 2022
Bad went to worst in February last year when during a training session at Loughborough, the father-of-one began tearing up in his goggles.
After years of unquestioned devotion to the sport, he had reached breaking point and for the first time ever cut his training session short before telling his coach: ‘I can’t do this any more.’
Peaty said: ‘I felt broken, desolate. I’d lost any sense of direction, purpose, let alone motivation. It was almost like I no longer knew myself. I couldn’t face one more day of it.’
‘Athletes’ bodies are pushed into places of daily attrition. Every meal, every move, every single day for years on end. On the up, it all works well. But when there’s no more “up” to have, the only way is down.’
After some time away from the pool, Adam and Holly announced their relationship to the world in June that year and unveiled matching tattoo tributes to one another that December.
The Olympic champion took to Instagram on his birthday late last year to share snaps of himself posing in the infinity pool at the Ramsays’ Cornish bolthole, where he had spent most of the festive season.
The tattoo lover also showed off his new ‘H’ inking on his chest – shortly before Miss Ramsay unveiled her A inking behind her heavily pierced ear.
Speaking about his relationship with Holly, Peaty said: ‘We gelled straight away. She gives me peace, calm, perspective, and that brings stability. It’s important to know every day when chasing down goals in sport that there’s another side to life and that whatever happens in the pool, I’m winning in life, because I’m with the right person.’