Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell is the latest star to join this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. 

The sportsman was announced as the 14th celebrity on the line-up on Wednesday morning. 

He said: “I’m really looking forward to being a part of Strictly this year. Having spent so many years mucking around in a rowing boat with big men in tight lycra, it’s time I learned a new skill. I need to apologise to my kids in advance for the embarrassment.”

James is best known for being a double Olympic Gold Medallist, who won his medals in the 2000 Sydney Games and 2004 Athens Games alongside team mates Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent.

Since retiring, James has carried out a number of gruelling challenges, including The Race Across The Atlantic, where he and Ben Fogle finished first. 

More recently, he took on a commentating role at the Rio Olympics in 2016. 

James is one of a number of sports stars on this year’s Strictly line-up. 

Former England footballer David James, Paralympic champion Will Bayley and footballer and presenter Alex Scott will also be taking to the floor when the new series kicks off in the autumn. 

They join other confirmed celebrities comedian Chris Ramsey, EastEnders star Emma Barton, YouTuber Saffron Barker, Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley, BBC Breakfast’s Mike Bushell, CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual, Viscountess Emma Weymouth, RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing and Radio 1 DJ Dev Griffin. 

One more name is still expected to be added to the line-up. 

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One in the autumn.