Olympic boxing legend Nicola Adams is swapping the ring for the silver screen after landing her first acting role alongside Gemma Arterton in a gritty cage fighting drama.
The 43-year-old, who made history as the first woman to win Olympic boxing gold at London 2012, will star in Killa Bee, a hard-hitting sports biopic based on the true story of nurse-turned-cage fighter Bryony Tyrell.
Former Bond girl Gemma, 40, will play Bryony, while Nicola stars as Isa Janssen, a ruthless fellow cage fighter who becomes Bryony's most dangerous opponent.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Celeb Gogglebox and former Strictly Come Dancing star Nicola opened up about her exciting new career move, revealing how her combat sports background made the role feel like a natural fit.
"What really drew me to Killa Bee was the heart of the story," she told us. "It's not just about fighting, it's about resilience, identity, pressure, and finding strength when life pushes you into difficult places. I connected with that straight away."
The Leeds-born fighter, who became a household name after defending her Olympic title in Rio 2016, said the film's realistic portrayal of combat sport was what sealed the deal.
"I thought the script captured the mentality of combat sport really well," she explained. "The discipline, the loneliness at times, the obsession with improving, and the emotional highs and lows. That side felt very authentic to me."
She added: "Combat sports naturally create powerful underdog stories. I also think audiences want to see women portrayed as strong, complex, and driven in ways that go beyond stereotypes."
Nicola, who made TV history in 2020 as part of Strictly's first same-sex pairing before having to withdraw when partner Katya Jones tested positive for Covid, said her sporting background gave her a crucial advantage on set.
"Sport teaches you so much about mental toughness, but also about vulnerability, because you're constantly pushing yourself physically and emotionally," she said. "I'm used to discipline, training, and staying focused under pressure."
They have finished rehearsals and will begin filming later this month. Nicola added that working alongside Gemma and Trainspotting film actor Ewen Bremner, 54, has been an invaluable experience so far.
"Gemma is incredibly generous as an actor, and Ewen brings such a unique energy and presence," she said. "Being around that level of experience definitely pushed me to grow and become more confident in my own performance."
Nicola retired from boxing in 2019 with an undefeated professional record after being advised to stop due to concerns about her eyesight. Before her Olympic breakthrough, she worked as an extra on Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders to support her boxing dreams, and later took acting lessons alongside her professional boxing career.
Now, she's open to all sorts of acting roles. "I'd love to keep challenging myself," she said. "Dramas, action films, maybe even something completely unexpected, like comedy."
Comparing the pressure of performing on camera to stepping into a boxing ring, Nicola added: "In boxing, everything is immediate and physical, and there's nowhere to hide. Acting is more emotionally exposed in a different way because the camera picks up every little detail. Both require confidence and vulnerability, just in different forms."
The film's director Kenton Oxley told us: "Nicola brings lived experience that no actor can replicate. She understands the discipline, the pressure, and the psychological toll of combat sports. That authenticity is invaluable."
