Strictly Come Dancing favourite Louis Smith has announced that he is retiring from gymnastics.
The four-time Olymypic gold medalist broke the news on This Morning’s Lorraine show.
Louis, 29, revealed that he is swapping the horse for a more permanent move to the theatre.
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He toured the UK with his Rip It Up show this year and it’s now heading to London’s West End.
The retirement comes as Louis admitted he had a “miniscule chance” of making it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
He now wants to “explore his boundaries as a performer”.
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Louis said of his retirement: “It was a very tough decision. I think last year I had the mindset that given the time around now I’d get back into training and push towards 2020.
“Then certain situations arise, the qualification process has changed, there’s a very minuscule chance I’ll even qualify. I thought I’d give it a chance.”
He then explained that winning Strictly in 2012 had opened up exciting work opportunities in the world of entertainment.
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“Then new opportunities come up and you have to make very smart life choices. Unfortunately I can’t keep on putting on a leotard,” he said.
“I’m growing, getting better as a performer, I’m exploring my boundaries. I think headlining a West End show is a pretty big step up.”
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