Strictly bosses line up England football legend Tony ‘Donkey’ Adams and Coronation Street star Kym Marsh for next series

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ENGLAND soccer legend Tony “Donkey” Adams is being lined up for Strictly Come Dancing.

The ex-Arsenal skipper, 55, who also captained his country, was known for his no-nonsense approach to defending — but not so much for his elegance.

Tony Adams is being lined up for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing

Ex-Corrie actress Kym Marsh is also in talks to sign up

In fact, he famously dropped Arsenal team-mate Steve Morrow after hoisting him up to celebrate his winning goal in the 1993 League Cup final — badly breaking his arm.

His Strictly pro dance partner will hope he has improved on his lifts since then.

With the football icon entering advanced talks with BBC chiefs to showcase his awkward moves in this year’s series, we can reveal ex-Corrie actress Kym Marsh is also in talks to sign up.

BBC sources told yesterday how signing the 46-year-old, who shot to fame with reality show popsters Hear’Say in 2001, would be a huge coup after years of trying to get her on board.

One told HOAR on Sunday: “This is shaping up to be a fantastic year for Strictly. They are thrilled to have brought a footballing legend of Tony’s stature to the table.

“And they are pulling out all the stops to sign Kym as well. She has been a target for them for years, and while it is not a done deal, they are very hopeful.

“She has her offer and is considering her options.”

In 2017 after moving into football management in Spain, Adams became an unlikely dancing star when a clip of him a training drill went viral.

He was seen enthusiastically demonstrating an exercise to his Granada players — who did not speak English.

And after Sky Sports’ Soccer AM jokingly set the clip to Michael Jackson’s Beat It, the internet hits flooded in.

Years later, the football icon proved he can laugh at himself when he recreated the video with members of his family during lockdown.

A source said: “Tony is a really good sport and has a great sense of humour, which people will get to see for themselves on the Strictly dance floor.

“He is also not afraid of a challenge and will get really stuck in.

“Tony is really excited about Strictly. He’s a better mover than people think. He really looks after himself, far more than most 50-somethings.

“So he might well spring a few surprises.

“His future dance partners might want to be a bit wary when it comes to lifts though — he does have a bit of form for letting go when it counts.”

During his Arsenal career, Tony helped steer the club to four league titles, three FA Cups and the European Cup Winner’s Cup.

He is the only player in the history of English football to have skippered a title-winning team in three decades, and also the only footballer to have played for England over three decades.

But his career was often blighted by his 12-year battle with alcohol addiction, which even saw him jailed for drink driving in 1990 after smashing into a wall.

He finally quit booze in 1996 and celebrated 25 years sober last August.

After retiring as a player, he went on to manage sides Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth, Azerbaijani side Gabala and Spanish club Granada.

Kym, who is now a popular host on the BBC’s Morning Live, launched her career on 2001 reality show Popstars, winning a place in pop group Hear’say.

She left the band to pursue a solo career and went on to land a role as Rovers landlady Michelle Connor on Coronation Street in 2006.

Kym, who married army major Scott Ratcliff in October last year, left the ITV soap in 2019, and is now due to appear in a BBC revival of hit school drama Waterloo Road.

A BBC source said: “Kym has been repeatedly approached by Strictly over the years, but it has never been the right time for her to say yes.

“Conversations are ongoing and she is considering if she wants to go ahead. Meanwhile the BBC are doing everything they can to persuade her.”

A spokesman for Kym was last night approached for comment.

Meanwhile a spokesman for Tony declined to comment.

And a BBC spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on speculation.”

Tony Adams is the only player in the history of English football to have skippered a title-winning team in three decades

In 2017 after moving into football management in Spain, Adams became an unlikely dancing star when a clip of him during a training drill went viral

Adams was seen enthusiastically demonstrating an exercise to his Granada players — who did not speak English