Dame Kelly Holmes

Kelly is a retired British athlete who has won several Olympic medals for Great Britain including a double gold medal-winning performance in 2004. Prior to her successful sporting career, Kelly joined the army at the age of 18 as an HGV driver.

Kelly has won numerous awards for her achievements and was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2005. 

She retired from athletics in 2005 and was made an honorary colonel with the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment (RACTR). She has become a global motivational speaker, published five books and made a number of television appearances. In 2008, Kelly founded the 'Dame Kelly Holmes Trust' to support young athletes and help young people across the UK.

In 2022, ITV broadcast a documentary ‘Kelly Holmes: Being Me’ after she came out as gay.  Kelly joined the Loose Women panel in the same year as she began her journey to being ‘finally free’.