Tom Daley throws hat in the ring for TV career after Olympics success: ‘I’d love to host Saturday night telly’

If TV doesn’t work out, the diver wants to be a knitwear designer (Picture: Getty/ Metro.co.uk)

Olympic diver Tom Daley, 27, on his first gold medal, life as a dad, his TV career ambitions, and his big knitwear following.

Congratulations on your Olympic gold. Are you still on a high?

When I came home, for the first couple of weeks it was surreal, as everyone knew what I’d done. Then I went to Canada for five weeks where Lance [husband Dustin Lance Black] is filming a TV show and that was when I was able to rewatch the event, have a bit of a chill moment, and try and let it all sink in.

You train those dives thousands of times but then you have six dives and they’re the ones that count.

Does it feel different getting a medal now that you’re a dad?

Absolutely. Just being a parent changes your perspective on everything. I went to those Olympics knowing that if I did well or I did terribly, Robbie, who is three, and Lance were going to love me regardless.

We put so much pressure on ourselves, so to not have any pressure externally from your friends and family allows you to do your best.

Do you think that’s why you won gold?

I do think I have my husband and son to thank. During lockdown, lots of athletes struggled to stay focused being at home. But Robbie gave me a routine. Waking up at the same time, eating — these things gave me structure and a purpose.

We were never bored doing things like playdough, baking or teaching him to write his name. Obviously, it’s been a horrible time for everyone but I’m very grateful for the extra time I got to spend with him because during a normal Olympic year I wouldn’t be able to do that.

Tom says the support of his husband Dustin Lance Black helped him win gold (Picture: Dan Wooller/Rex)

It sounds like you and Rihanna had a good time at the Met Gala…

Yeah! The Met Gala is the only event where there are no publicists, and everywhere you look are incredibly famous people like Rihanna or Shawn Mendes.

I always feel out of place at any kind of event like that because I feel I don’t deserve to be there. I’m little old diver Tom from Plymouth so I always feel a bit out of place.

You’re also an ambassador for British Lion eggs…

Yes, it’s one of those amazing partnerships for me because I eat eggs for breakfast every single morning when I’m training. It’s such a staple in my diet because of the protein content.

It’s like nature’s fast food and there are so many ways that you can use them. I always use up leftovers to make frittatas or drop eggs into soups. Cooking is a very therapeutic thing for me, especially when I’m training.

Knitting is also a therapeutic thing for you, and @madewithlovebytomdaley has a lot of followers!

I was really grateful I had knitting during the Olympics because there was a lot of time to overthink — it was a healthy distraction. I started with 60,000 followers before the Olympics and afterwards it went up to 1.4 million, which is insane.

If I could just sit on a beach and knit my whole life, I’d be happy. It’s very meditative — I just go into this trance and all of a sudden, five hours have gone.

Your autobiography, Coming Up For Air, is just out and you talk about the eating issues you’ve had. Why now?

I’ve not talked about it for so long, mainly because I always felt like I couldn’t say anything about it. Men don’t have eating disorders or trouble with body image, especially in sport.

There’s nowhere to hide in my trunks on the diving board and people can tell if you’ve had something on the weekend — you come in and you’re heavier. It’s this constant thing of wanting to look your best. So it was a challenge but lots of people suffer similar things and it’s really important to shine a light on that.

Do you look back at videos of yourself competing as a teen?

Yes, and I see kids diving at 13 and 14 and that was the age I went to the Olympics. I was such a child but I remember thinking I knew everything at that point. But as you get older, you realise you knew nothing.

Reading my diaries for every Olympics from 2008 to now for my book was so interesting. Even when I was figuring out my sexuality, it’s a very difficult thing to do in the public eye.

You’re such an inspiration for so many…

Thank you. I feel like as an out queer person at the highest level of my sport I have a responsibility to shine a light on issues I feel passionate about.

Although there were more out athletes in the last Olympics compared with all of the others combined, there are still ten countries where it’s punishable by death.

Tom scored success at this year’s Olympics (Picture: PA)

Do you have another Olympics in you?

Whether I go to the next Olympics or not, I have to keep diving recreationally. I’m still improving, so I don’t know is the honest answer. There are lots of options.

I’d also love to be a knitwear designer and a TV host doing LGBT documentaries, sport or Saturday night, shiny floor entertainment.

Daley is an ambassador for British Lion eggs. For recipes and more on the health benefits of eggs, see egginfo.co.uk; to take a look at his knitting designs, see @madewithlovebytomdaley

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