Star of Gladiators Montell Douglas is one of the 15 celebs who’ve signed up for this year’s series of Strictly.

Montell, also known as Fire to fans, expressed her excitement in a statement, sharing: “Strictly ARE YOU READY, Fire is here to light up the Ballroom!”

She then added: “Wow I am so honoured to have been asked to do the show. It is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I can’t wait to get started. Hopefully a few of my Gladiator moves will come in handy with the Tango or Paso Doble!”

But how old is Montell? How much is she worth? And what else is she known for? Keep reading to find out.

Montell Douglas – age, height, where she’s from and how she’s famous

The gorgeous Montell is a British multi-sports Olympian. She appeared on the BBC One reboot of Gladiators in 2024.

Born on January 24, 1986, Montell Douglas is currently 38 years old. Montell is 5ft 9in tall, according to Eurosport.

Montell was born in Lewisham, south-east London. She was raised in the UK by Jamaican parents. She discovered her love for athletics at a young age. Her PE teacher was someone who influenced her to participate in it further.

Strictly star Montell Douglas’ age when she started sprinting

Montell Douglas began sprinting at the age of 13.

“I remember my first competition, and it was invigorating! After competing, I was enthralled by this passion and burn,” she told Sports for Champions. “I wanted to do better. And with every competition that passed by, I kept on feeling inspired to better myself and continue growing.

When she competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, Montell held the record at the time for the 100 metres, completing the race in 11.05 seconds.

“My greatest achievement is undoubtedly breaking the British record and qualifying as an Olympian. When I qualified as an Olympian, I felt relieved and thrilled, it was a fantastic feeling, and nothing compares! It was always a dream since I had begun competing, and it felt right when I was handed the spot!” she revealed.

What else Montell Douglas has done

In addition to sprinting, Montell has also taken up bobsleigh and became part of the Great Britain two-woman bobsleigh team in 2017. She competed during the 2022 Winter Olympics.

In 2024, she appeared on the BBC One reboot of Gladiators as Fire.

Referring to her fans as “flames”, Montell said about her character on Instagram: “A powerful force of nature. A classic element that is fast, unpredictable and dangerous. It’s about to be lit!”

Montell was also featured in the 2017 film Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, as an Amazonian warrior.

Earlier this year, Montell attended the launch of the Youth Sport Trust’s 2024 National School Sports Week at Swiss Cottage School in London to help mentor the younger sporting generation.

“I’ve been with the Youth Sport Trust for more than 10 years now, supporting and promoting youth sport activity,” she told Daily Echo.

“One thing I always love is the being able to impact others whilst also learning about how other people’s lives have been impacted by sport and activity and being reminded of that feeling.”

Montell continued: “I love to be a part of that journey during National School Sports Week and helping play sports a life skill for everyone.”

Montell Douglas on Strictly

As she prepared to compete in the 2024 series of Strictly, Montell admitted that competing on the hit BBC show has been “at the absolute top of my list from the beginning of time”.

“I’m super excited because it’s an iconic show. It is, I’d say, the next best TV show on TV at the moment and it’s been around for so long, and I’m a dancer at heart,” she told The Sun.

“I feel like I belong there, and I’m super excited to just get in those costumes as well and maybe show a tiny bit more leg than you guys can see on Gladiators.”

Montell continued: “I’m excited about the challenge because I’m an athlete, I know about the morning schedule, I know that we’re going to do something new.”

Montell Douglas on learning to walk again after surgery

After tearing the cartilage in her left knee in 2009 during training, Montell had to undergo surgery. She previously told Sports for Champions that it was her greatest challenge to overcome. Doctors informed her that she might never run again, and she couldn’t walk at all for three months.

“Following the surgery, I had to relearn how to walk, which put me in a difficult situation; so many of the things I could once do were stripped away from me instantly! I overcame this by focusing on what I had. I had a great support structure and a strong belief that I would beat this and go on to compete again,” she said.

“This helped me immensely, and it was at that point, I began to block out everything I couldn’t do at that point and focused on the things I was learning in my physio sessions one step at a time. I took each day in my stride and stopped pressuring myself as these things take time, and it did. Thankfully I overcame it, and as a result, I am stronger than ever!”

Period pains

Montell revealed that she has suffered from painful periods for years with “waves of intense pain” that often stopped her in her tracks. As a sprinter, she missed training because of it, and was prescribed strong painkillers by her doctor to allow her to compete.

However, she needed to take them well in advance in order for them to be effective. A few years ago, after taking them too late, she ended up in hospital.

“That hospitalisation for me was a kind of wake-up call. My body just started convulsing, and I was almost passing out, because the pain was so intense. I was overheating because of the hormones – my body couldn’t control its temperature, and that in turn made me dehydrated. The pain was in waves, coming in like contractions,” she told PA.

She called an ambulance herself, and was put on a drip in hospital. As a result, she had contraceptive implants put in, and they’ve made a big difference to the severity of her period pain.

“Since then, it’s been much more manageable in terms of the pain, and it just gave me some confidence in that when it comes, I’m not going to be at its beck and call. It’s something I can manage, rather than it managing me.”

Strictly star Montell Douglas’ private life – marriage and children

To public knowledge, Montell is not married. It also doesn’t appear as if she has any children.

Read more: The ‘richest’ Strictly 2024 contestant – from Nick Knowles and Tasha Ghouri to Shayne Ward

Strictly Come Dancing starts on BBC One on Saturday September 14 at 7.20pm.

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Former footballer Paul Merson is one of the 15 celebrities who has signed up to Strictly this year, swapping his football boots for his dancing shoes.

He admitted: “Joining Strictly is a whole new ball game for me, but I’m going to tackle this challenge head on. I’m ready to swap the pitch for the ballroom floor, so here’s hoping my two left feet can learn some moves.

“You never know, maybe I’ll be taking home the Glitterball Trophy!”

But how old is Paul Merson? Is he married? And does he have kids? Keep scrolling to find out…

How Paul Merson is best known – and his age

Paul Merson is a former footballer, manager, commentator and sports television pundit. Born on March 20, 1968, Paul Merson is currently 56 years old.

When Paul Merson played for Arsenal

Paul Merson made his Arsenal debut in the 1986-1987 season as a forward. Later on in his career, he became an attacking midfielder and playmaker.

He played for 11 seasons and became a key player while George Graham was manager. He won the Football League Championship twice, the FA Cup, the Football League Cup, and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

During a 2022 interview with World Football Index, Paul spoke highly of Arsenal.

“Arsenal is a Rolls-Royce of a club. A truly great club. Everything was perfect at Arsenal. You don’t fully appreciate how special the club is until you leave, to be honest, because you are spoiled at the club and it becomes the norm to you.”

He continued: “I played for some special clubs after Arsenal but nothing will top Arsenal. The club was incredible from top to bottom.”

Surprisingly, he doesn’t support them, though…

Paul actually supports Chelsea FC. While he previously played for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa, he has been a lifelong Chelsea fan.

On X, formerly Twitter, Paul said: “Chelsea fan all my life…. Love Arsenal and Villa from my playing days.”

Where Paul Merson is from – and where he lives now

Paul was born in Harlesden in North West London. He lives in Teddingham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

In a November 2021 interview with Teddingham Nub News, Paul revealed he had lived in the area for seven to eight years.

“It’s not stressful, the people are so nice – I just think it’s a nice nice place. I feel very lucky to live somewhere like this,” he said.

Who is Paul Merson married to now?

Paul has been married three times.

His first wife was his childhood sweetheart Lorraine Costin in the 1990s. However, his marriage came crashing down after he suffered from drug addiction and alcoholism as well as gambling problems.

According to The Sun, Paul wasted £7 million on drink, drugs and casinos.

“We never had any money worries because he paid off his debts. But if you’re earning £10,000 a week and you’re a gambling addict, you’re going to spend £10,000. I wasn’t even angry when I found out how much he’d spent. I just felt helpless,” she said.

Lorraine added: “We were childhood sweethearts, married young, had kids and we had a lovely life together with the football and all the trappings. But there was an underlying issue with what was going on inside. It’s difficult living with someone with addictions especially when I was so young. I had no experience of life myself.”

Paul finally sought help and checked into rehab. And, in January 1994, he broke down in tears at a press conference as he talked about his treatment. However, the addiction took a toll on their marriage and Paul and Lorraine split in 2001.

She has since said: “I never ever wanted my marriage to end. I never hated him, not once. I just felt helpless that I couldn’t help him any more. But you can’t help someone, you can only help yourself.”

The couple had three sons – Sam, Ben and Charlie – together.

Paul Merson’s second wife

Paul married his second wife, Louise, in May 2022. However, reports suggest they split two years later, having welcomed twin girls, Maisie and Molly, following rows over his gambling addiction.

During their relationship, Paul was also cautioned for allegedly assaulting Louise during a bust-up over his gambling debts. Later he claimed: “It has changed me for good.”

‘Kate gives me pocket money’

He has since got married for a third time to Kate Merson, who he is still with.

They tied the knot in 2016 and share three kids. Something they don’t share, though, is responsibility for the family finances.

Paul recently explained that, after he gambled away their house deposit in lockdown, Kate takes care of the money now. As a result, she gives him a strict allowance which he can only use on fuel and very basic shopping.

The star doesn’t have a wallet and has a block on his phone to stop mobile gambling.

Speaking in his Football, Gambling and Me documentary, he said: “Kate looks after everything. Gives me…I would say pocket money. At first I was a bit resentful of that, thinking, I’m 50-odd years of age and I’ve got to have pocket money.  But I understand that now.”

Strictly star Paul Merson on his addictions

Addiction has played a huge part in Paul’s life. He has struggled with an addiction to gambling for 35 years, something that has led to him considering taking his own life three times.

He told i: “I struggled with insecurity when I was young, a very shy kid, and the betting shop just completely took me away from how I felt. I didn’t even think beforehand I was going to do it, there was no planning. I thought I was going to go shopping when I got my first wage. My mate said we’d go across the road to William Hill and that was it. I can’t remember after that not wanting to gamble, if I’m being honest.”

He added: “It’s the most horrible addiction in the world. I’m a recovering alcoholic and a recovering drug addict, but for me, gambling addiction is the worst.”

Paul then said: “Even when you’re well, you leave a hand grenade behind you. My wife is still on tenterhooks, I’m not going to lie. But she knows I’m in a safe environment now where I can’t lose the plot quickly anymore. My wife gives me spending money now; I get treated like a 14 year old. A few years ago I would have had a problem with that, but with what happened after lockdown I have no problem with it today. That’s the way it’s got to be, because it only takes a second.”

During a 2023 interview with the Express, Paul opened up more about his addictions.

“I have bad days still,” he admitted.

He continued: “When I didn’t drink I was alright… one was too many, and 100 was not enough. But I was a binge drinker in them days… it got to the stage at the end where I was drinking every day. I was a functional drunk and compulsive gambler.”

Paul Merson – net worth and earnings at Sky

Paul’s salary at Sky Sports for being a sports television pundit is currently unknown. However, according to SPORTbible in October 2023, the highest-paid pundit was Gary Lineker with an annual wage of £1.3 million. In a top-10 list, Ian Wright ranked 10th with a reported sum of £150k a year.

As of 2024, Paul Merson is estimated to be worth $13 million (£11 million), according to Idol Networth.

His salary per year while playing was Arsenal is reportedly £1.2 million.

How tall is Paul Merson?

Paul Merson is 6ft tall, according to Premier League.

Paul Merson’s son follows him into football

Sam Merson is the son of Paul Merson. He previously played football as an attacker for Redditch and St Albans City.

Sam signed an 18-month contract with the Saints (Southampton Football Club) in October 2016 before departing in June 2020.

On his Instagram page, Sam appears to have left his football days behind him and developed a love and a professional career in golf.

“Starting my professional career was tough to start but gradually throughout the season I was improving my results and gaining valuable experience. I am now ready to work even harder in the off season ready for the 2024 season,” he shared in October 2023.

Paul Merson on Strictly 2024

The soccer star revealed why he decided to sign up for the BBC dance show.

“It’s because of my Mum. I always say my Dad played a big role in me becoming a professional footballer, but my mum doesn’t get the credit she deserves. She loves the show, so it’s nice for her,” he said.

Paul admitted his stand-out moment from the show was watching Tony Adams take part: “Watching my captain, Tony Adams. He was my captain growing up.”

However, he won’t be doing any football-inspired moves, like Tony: “Not really, not like Tony’s. I’m not planning to take off my shirt! Hopefully, I’ll be okay on my feet –I’ve been on them all my life.”

Strictly Come Dancing stars Saturday September 14 at 7.20pm on BBC One.

Read more: The ‘richest’ Strictly 2024 contestant – from Nick Knowles and Tasha Ghouri to Shayne Ward

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Dr Punam Krishan is known for being BBC Morning Live‘s resident medic – but the doctor is in the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up, and she’ll see you now!

Not that her patients won’t continue to see her in her NHS GP practice, too. Glasgow-born Dr Punam, 41, has insisted she will be continuing with her medical commitments while she’s appearing on the BBC One dance contest.

But Strictly, it seems, was an opportunity she just couldn’t resist.

‘This doesn’t feel real’

Dr Punam said: “This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show.”

She continued: “I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year. I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.

I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.

“This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.”

How Dr Punam Krishan is famous

Dr Punam has been offering medical insights and sharing health news on Morning Live since 2020. Her broadcasting has also included work with BBC Scotland.

She also went viral several years back as she detailed her experience on social media of experiencing racism from a patient.

“I decided to talk about it,” she reflected in January 2019.

Dr Punam added: “It’s important that people are made aware that these attitudes exist in Britain today. I hoped that if I could speak up and raise awareness, it might encourage other people to do the same and share stories where people haven’t been the bystander.”

Where to find Strictly star Dr Punam Krishan on TV

She hosted Laid Bare in October 2019, which saw patients given a comprehensive medical check up – and a frank assessment from Dr Punam. Her advice was described as “a living post-mortem” by one journalist.

Additionally, Dr Punam also appeared in episode of The Weakest Link in December 2022. However, she was voted off in the second round.

She’s also appeared on radio and in newspapers, and Dr Punam’s writing includes her debut children’s book How to Be a Doctor and Other Life-Saving Jobs. Published in 2022, she’s also been commissioned to write a further two children’s books in 2025. You and Your Body will be a flap board book about human anatomy, while A Superhero’s First Aid Manual will concentrate on first aid.

Strictly star Dr Punam Krishan and her famous husband

Dr Punam married Sandesh Gulhane in 2011, a fellow GP. Since 2021, Sandesh has been an MSP for the Conservatives in Glasgow.

They share two children – son Aarish, 11, and four-year-old daughter, Ellora.

And Dr Punam has previously joked about her husband: “He started off as an orthopaedic surgeon. But you can’t live with me and not become a GP.”

Dr Punam Krishan on her family being told she ‘didn’t have long to live’

Dr Punam has also spoken about the dramatic circumstances surrounding the birth of her son have informed her career.

She ended up on a ventilator in intensive care as she had Aarish.

“My family were told that I didn’t have long to live. What happened to me was a complete out-the-blue crisis point in life that gives you a scare,” she said.

Suffering a postpartum haemorrhage, Dr Punam recalled: “It was a freak, bleed-out episode. I went into heart and lung failure, developed clotting issues and widespread sepsis.”

However, she came to realise that as she was offered medication, all she wanted “was support and space to heal”.

And so Dr Punam considers it important how being a patient can inform being a media, adding: “I returned to work a completely different doctor.”

What happened when Dr Punam Krishan was in a car accident

In March 2023, Dr Punam told social media fans about how her ‘life flashed before her eyes’ during a terrifying car incident.

She said on Instagram: “One minute you could be cruising along, living your best life. And the next you could see it all flash before your eyes.

“This is what happened to me as I lost total control of everything as my car aquaplaned across the lanes on a busy motorway at 70mph causing me to crash straight into the central reservation a few days ago.

“All blurry but yet so vivid, in slow motion but also too fast to register, so deafening but simultaneously silent.

“An experience of absolute fear but one that’s left an overwhelming sense of gratitude. All this, all at once!”

She added: “I’m still trying to process what the hell happened. But there are key people that I can’t stop thinking about whose selfless acts of kindness, compassion and care will stay with me forever.

“There are people who will slow down, look and drive on when they witness a RTA. But then there are people who stop, step up and play a significant a role in helping you. Absolute heroes.”

Dr Punam also explained how “an angel” who was among the first on the scene kept telling her to breathe as they cared for her.

She GP explained: “[The woman] even gave me her blanket to keep me warm and told me to keep it as the paramedics lifted me out.

“I’ve got it beside me now as a reminder of the sweetest strangers who’ll touch your life in the most significant of ways.

“You might never see them again but there’s real goodness out there.”

Dr Punam Krishan to continue as a doctor while she’s on Strictly

The doctor has made it clear she won’t leave her role as a GP while she’s part of Strictly 2024.

She told Instagram followers earlier this month: “When you’re surrounded by the best people, you can achieve anything.

“I’ve had some people ask me whether I’ll be leaving my NHS GP work to do Strictly. Absolutely not.

“It will be a challenge to balance it but I’m so lucky to be supported by the most fantastic team and, as my practice manager put it, ‘we will make it work!’ I love my job.”

Dr Punam continued: “My patients and my duty of care towards them will always come first.

“However, I’m also someone who has passions, dreams, and aspirations outside of my day job.”

She continued: “Strictly is a proper dream come true for me. I’m a fan and my practice team are mega fans so they are fully behind me for which I’m so grateful.”

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Strictly Come Dancing starts on BBC One on Saturday September 14 at 7.20pm.

Read more: Strictly 2024 ‘to have fewer female celebrities for first time in history’ following ‘bullying’ scandal

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