How Team GB stars will cash in on Olympic medal haul – from Tom Dean’s Strictly payday to teen star worth £3.5m
WINNING an Olympic medal is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career and follows years of dedication, sacrifice and training.
It’s a moment when all the effort finally pays off, and not just in the stadium – because some stars will become millionaires and land life-changing opportunities away from sport.
RexThe Paris 2024 Olympic Games has seen many beautiful moments for Team GB including Keely Hodgkinson’s 800-metre victory[/caption]
The Prince and Princess of Wales sent a special message to the Great British athletesX/UNPIXS
GettyTom Cruise performed a death-defying roof jump as part of last night’s closing ceremony[/caption]
Collectively, Team GB took home a cool 65 medals from Paris 2024 – the same number achieved in London 2012 and one more than the last Olympics in Tokyo – and placed seventh in the world rankings.
The success has birthed a new roster of famous faces set to make vast sums from sponsorship deals, TV shows and book deals.
For some sporting superstars, like US gymnast Simone Biles, 27, who claimed three golds and a silver at Paris 2024, it can transform their lives forever.
In 2023 alone, she earned a staggering £5.6million ($7.1million) and only £78,500 of that wasn’t from endorsements according to the BBC.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede tells The Sun anyone with a gold or multiple medals will benefit the most but everything from appearances on TV shows to book deals and multimillion-pound contracts are up for grabs.
He says: “It’s a golden moment for anyone who has won medals to get in front of brands as they can make anything from £1million to £10million for deals.
“Because they look fantastic, are great role models and have done so much for us that the biggest companies like British Airways and fashion giants will try to sign these great Britons.
“There will be endorsement and social media deals, speaking opportunities, deals to model products and TV shows – a celebrity version of Gladiators would be perfect for them.”
Here we reveal some of the Olympians who could be Britain’s next breakout stars including one who is tipped for a TV takeover and others soon to be flooded with endorsement deals.
Keely Hodgkinson
Among the biggest breakout stars is runner Keely Hodgkinson, who Nick says is “Britain’s newest sports superstar” and will “become a poster girl in the UK and beyond”.
Last week, the 22-year-old achieved her first Olympic gold medal in the 800-metre sprint – becoming the first Team GB woman to scoop athletics victory since Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012.
It led to her becoming the bookies’ favourite to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, with her odds dropping from 5/2 to odds-on at 4/7 overnight.
Nick told The Sun: “Financially she will be in the running to become a millionaire by 2025 from signing lucrative deals and personal appearances.
Instagram/keely.hodgkinsonBig brands will be ‘throwing money at’ glamorous Keely, according to Nick Ede[/caption]
GettyThe track star could also be signed-up by a reality TV show[/caption]
“She’s the golden girl of the Olympics and someone who stands out because she’s been through a lot. She was ill when she was younger and triumphed over adversity, people love that kind of story.
“I can see a lot of really big designers, whether that’s Little Mistress or Lipsy, throwing a lot of money at her for various different adverts.
“They will be trying to sign her up because she is a wholesome and aspirational figure who really connects with audiences.
“There could be TV interest too – including from Strictly, I’m A Celebrity, Celebrity Big Brother or a celebrity version of The Traitors – because she is gorgeous and has a great personality and sense of humour.
“She’s beautiful, a brilliant athlete and role model so this really is her moment to snap up all of the opportunities.”
Nick suspects publishers will be “in a bidding war” to publish her autobiography and suspects they will race to have it ready for Christmas.
“This is definitely Keely’s time,” Nick adds. “All eyes will be on her to win the coveted Sports Personality of the Year award and she may even get an honour from the King for her services to sport.”
Tom Dean
InstagramTom Dean has revealed himself as one of this year’s contestants on Strictly Come Dancing[/caption]
APThe athlete (right) won gold in the men’s 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay alongside Duncan Scott, James Guy and Matthew Richards[/caption]
Swimmer Tom Dean is set to see his popularity soar since revealing he is due to appear on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The three-time Olympic champion, who was appointed an MBE three years ago, won a gold medal as part of the Men’s 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay at this year’s games.
Tom will be the ninth swimmer to take part in Strictly including Adam Peaty, who earned an army of fans due to his personal struggles and finished ninth in the show back in 2021
She is extremely marketable and is the perfect person for the BBC or anyone to get behind really
Nick Ede
Nick says: “He’s won a gold medal now it could be his time to win the Glitterball Trophy too. Appearing on Strictly will make Tom a household name.
“Strictly is watched by tens of millions each week so it’s a great springboard whether that’s endorsements for brands, modelling menswear collections or aftershave deals.
“It feels like the world is definitely his oyster and I’m sure the dancefloor will be too.”
Sky Brown
PASky Brown’s is likely to leverage her huge social media following to bag big deals[/caption]
GettyThe 19-year-old won a bronze medal at Paris 2024[/caption]
At Tokyo 2020, which took place a year later due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sky Brown became Team GB’s youngest-ever Olympian at just 16 years old.
This year, she’s won a bronze in women’s skateboarding and it’s likely to increase her already impressive earnings from previous years.
Sky, now 19, reportedly signed a £3.5million deal with Nike back in 2018, when she became the world’s youngest professional skateboarder.
She won Dancing With The Stars: Juniors – America’s version of Strictly – the following year and signed deals with Red Bull, Samsung and Tag Heuer.
Nick says Sky’s social media following – 2.3million on TikTok and 1million on Instagram – will see other brands “fighting over her” and she could be the breakout star.
“Girls really buy into her. I can see fashion, beauty and sports brands throwing a lot of money at her, she is definitely one to watch,” he tells us.
“She absolutely gorgeous and skateboarding is a bit different. She’s someone who can really encourage young people to get out there and make a lot of money from that.”
Emma Finucane
GettyEmma Finucane is Britain’s first woman to win three medals in a single Olympics in nearly 60 years[/caption]
InstagramThe Welsh cyclist, 21, could become a reality TV presenter alongside landing megabucks deals[/caption]
Welsh cyclist Emma Finucane is set to be one of the biggest names to emerge from Paris 2024.
She became the first British woman in nearly 60 years to win three medals at a single Olympics – the last was swimmer Margaret Joyce Cooper at Amsterdam 1928.
Emma claimed a gold medal and broke a world record as part of the women’s team sprint and then bagged two more bronze medals.
It’s similar to the connection between Bradley and Barney Walsh… They could become the next TV golden pair
Nick Ede
The 21-year-old, who described the achievement as “honestly, just like a dream”, is tipped to follow in the footsteps of Victoria Pendleton, according to Nick.
He tells us: “Victoria went onto Strictly and then became a very well-known reality star, presenter and writer. I can see Emma doing all of this too.
“Additionally, people love cycling and there are many cycling brands that will want to work with her and will offer big bucks. I can see her signing a lot of endorsement deals.
“Having won three medals, she is extremely marketable and is the perfect person for the BBC or anyone to get behind really.”
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix
The Mega AgencyAndrea Spendolini Sirieix is tipped to ‘take over TV’ according to our expert[/caption]
RexDad Fred Sirieix could be seen cheering from the stands[/caption]
GettyAndrea has already won two BBC SPOTY in the past[/caption]
Andrea has just taken home her first Olympic medal – a bronze in the synchronised 10m platform diving competition – and could soon become a “teenage millionaire”.
The 19-year-old, who has claimed Young Sports Personality twice at the BBC’s SPOTY awards, could be tipped for TV shows and a glittering career.
It will no doubt delight her father, TV personality Fred Sirieix, who landed his breakout role on reality show First Dates before fronting a hit travel show with celebrity chefs Gordan Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo.
Now the famous father and daughter duo could land big opportunities together.
Nick says: “Her father is the fabulous maitre d’ who’s taken over television but I think it’s Andrea who is going to take over now.
“She’s already got brilliant deals with Lego and Adidas but could go go into TV, a bit like Tom Daley did. She ticks all of the boxes and has a very special bond with her father.
“We saw it when she lost out on the gold and won bronze instead. It’s similar to the connection between Bradley and Barney Walsh.
“I can imagine TV bosses lining up a show where Fred and Andrea go on adventures together or them co-hosting together. They could become the next TV golden pair.”
