Who is Greg Rutherford? Strictly Come Dancing 2016 contestant guide

Follow Greg on Twitter @GregJRutherford

Famous for: winning Olympic long jump gold in London 2012, as part of Team GB's 'Super Saturday' gold rush.

Who is his professional partner?

Greg was paired with Australian dancer Natalie Lowe – she has a good Strictly track record, having reached the final with Hollyoaks star Ricky Whittle and week eleven with actor Scott Maslen.

I could literally jump to the moon & back. So ecstatic to be dancing with @GregJRutherford this year #strictly #2016 https://t.co/AGeUPeycOV

— Natalie Lowe (@RealNatalieLowe) 3 September 2016

Rutherford followed up his 2012 success with bronze at Rio 2016 – a result he struggled to come to terms with.

“I come into these competitions to win, not to get silver or bronze so it is frustrating," he said on the night. "I come here to win and when I don’t it’s difficult.” Now there's a warning for his Strictly rivals...

The athlete is no stranger to testing himself on TV either. Last year, he took part in Channel 4's historical reality series Time Crashers.

Strictly Come Dancing 2016: meet the contestants

Why is Greg Rutherford doing Strictly Come Dancing?

We spoke to Greg ahead of the first live show to find out

Why are you doing Strictly? I normally take four months off over the winter to do nothing and get fat but this is probably better for me.

Didn’t you take up skeleton bob? I did! In 2014 I went to Lillehammer in Norway and travelled 100km an hour down an ice track head-first. You know what? This is scarier! I’ve been sweating more doing this than anything else I’ve ever done in my life!

What were the Rio Olympics like? Different. We were spoilt in London. Rio did the best they could but I fear hosting the World Cup and Olympics has damaged the country.

Would you be happy with bronze in Strictly? I wasn’t happy with my Olympic performance, but I’m here to do as well as I possibly can and if anybody can get us to the final, it’s Natalie