Olympic medallist Louis Smith talks dreams, dedication and dance ahead of his latest stage tour. Jane McGowan finds out more
Steve Neaves/JOON Productions
LOUIS SMITH
Louis Smith
It would seem that gymnast Louis Smith just can’t stop adding strings to his already accomplished bow.
A renowned sportsman who has won four Olympic medals achieved at three consecutive games, Smith captured the hearts of the nation as a competitor on BBC hit show Strictly Come Dancing. This led to a role as a judge on reality TV show Tumble, followed by an appearance on Channel 4’s The Jump, where he displayed a very impressive range of winter sports skills. Now he is taking on musical theatre alongside fellow Strictly stars Jay McGuinness and professional dancer Natalie Lowe for Rip It Up – an all-singing, all dancing 1950s-themed spectacular.
“Er, I won’t be doing much singing,” Louis is quick to point out as we chat about his new role. “The producer did ask if I wanted to sing more but I said, ‘Not really, not yet.’ So I’m more like a backing singer than a lead vocal. To be honest, I will be too busy concentrating on the steps.”
Louis’s career as a dancer was borne out of his appearance on the 10th series of the Saturday night monolith known affectionately across the nation as Strictly. Following his stellar Olympic performance at London 2012, Louis says he felt in need of a fresh challenge. An initially cautious performer, the pommel horse specialist blossomed before our eyes into a ballroom star whose final routine with partner Flavia Cacace (complete with Dirty Dancing lift) saw viewers voting in their millions.
“Strictly taught me a lot. It gave me the opportunity to show more of myself, more of my character. I would say that the show was the biggest turning point in my life and made me who I am today.”
Louis Smith was born in Peterborough in 1989 and according to his mum Elaine, he was always a “very lively child”. Elaine encouraged her son to try a variety of sports, including gymnastics, in an attempt to help him burn off his excess energy. When Louis was later diagnosed with ADHD, the gym proved a safe environment for the budding athlete to release some of his inner tension.
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“I was really committed very early on,” he explains. “From the age of seven I had the dream of wanting to be in the Olympic Games. Obviously there were lots of days when I was tired and just wanted to stay in bed. But that’s where the perseverance and dedication comes in. If it was easy to be an Olympian, I think everyone would try and do it.”
The fact that his bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics was the first to be won by a male gymnast for 80 years, proves his point. He went on to win two medals at London 2012 and another silver in Rio last year. Alongside a clutch of European, World and Commonwealth triumphs, it’s fair to say that Louis has made his mark as a gymnast.
“I have won medals in every games I have gone to. And I want to do as much as I can, while I can for the sport. Basically, before I am too old to compete. I feel I have done a lot for the sport,” he admits shyly.
“I get a lot of parents coming up to me, saying, ‘My kid wants to be like you now after watching you at the Olympic Games and now he’s started gymnastics’, and it’s always nice to hear those words. I get a lot of messages on Facebook and things saying, ‘You’re my idol’. It’s great that kids feel that and want to take up not just gymnastics but any sport and try to achieve their dreams.”
However, things have not always been rosy in the gymnasium. Last winter Louis received a two-month ban from the sport’s governing body for his part in a video that appeared to be mocking Islam, was leaked to the media. Louis issued an immediate apology, saying he was “deeply sorry” for this “thoughtless actions”. He has tried hard to put the event behind him and is hopeful of returning to the fold to compete in his fourth Olympics in Japan in 2020.
“Once the tour is over, I will be looking forward to get back into straightforward gymnastics. Getting to Tokyo is very much the goal. That is still the ambition.”
But before Louis can clamber back on the horse, he will by bopping and rocking, swinging and swaying onthe whistle-stop, 42-date Rip It Up tour that even has a night at the London Palladium.
“It’s going to be tough, but I’m really looking forward to it,” he says. “I’m all about the challenge and I want to build my knowledge of the dance world. This is the next step in furthering my creativity. It’s all things rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, jive and soul. I’m sure the great music will help us dance the night away.”
- Rip It Up at G Live, Guildford on September 27. For further details and tickets, visit: glive.co.uk
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