Controversial Olympic legend signs up for Celebrity Big Brother

SPORTING legend Daley Thompson is being lined up to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house.

The double Olympic gold winner, who is in advanced talks with producers, is considered by some to be the greatest all-round athlete Britain has ever produced.

Daley Thompson CBE at a film premiere.
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Daley has signed up to join the line-up on Celebrity Big BrotherCredit: Getty
Daley Thompson, 1984 Olympic gold medalist, wearing a t-shirt that reads, "Is the world's 2nd greatest athlete gay?"
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Daley caused controversy after suggesting a fellow athlete was gayCredit: Getty

Daley, 66, will have plenty of tales to share about his long and colourful career when he goes into CBB, which starts next month on ITV1.

But producers will also be hoping that he will stir things up when he's sharing the house with a string of Gen Z and Millennial stars.

A TV insider said: "Daley is notoriously unwoke and likes to be provocative, so it will be interesting to see how he is received by some of the younger housemates.

"As someone who was at the height of his fame in the Eighties, many of them will barely know who he is - but for a generation of older viewers he'll be seen as a great signing."

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He's previously created controversy in the Eighties after suggesting fellow athlete Carl Lewis was gay, and in 2012 he made a gag about a mis-spelt tattoo suggesting the person who'd done it "must have been Irish".

Daley has spent many years out of the limelight but re-emerged with his autobiography, Daley: Olympic Superstar, and a BBC documentary of the same name, which were both released last year.

They chronicled his incredible career, most notably in decathlons which saw him win two golds in the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The father of five, who was born in London, also won a further haul of six golds in the Commonwealth games as well as the World and European championships.

Other names said to be joining Celebrity Big Brother include Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd and Love Island star Chris Hughes.

The upcoming series will be the second since being rebooted on ITV.

How Daley Thompson overcame poverty, scandal and brutal murder of his dad at 11 to become Olympic legend - and the VERY saucy comment he made to senior royal