Tony Adams gets emotional reflecting on his mental health following Strictly Come Dancing journey

Tony Adams got emotional when he reflected on his mental health before his time on Strictly Come Dancing after his shock withdrawal from the show.

The former Arsenal footballer, 56, got choked up when he referred to his mental health issues before his time on the popular BBC One dance show.

Speaking to Rylan Clark about Strictly It Takes Two, Tony said, “This has been so good for mental health awareness – 26 years ago I should have been dead.”

Opening: Tony Adams got emotional as he reflected on his mental health ahead of his time on Strictly Come Dancing after his shock withdrawal from the show

He seemed confused as he tried to keep his composure, while his dance partner Katya gave him a loving hug to keep him calm.

He also spoke about the injury that saw him quit the show just a week before the iconic show in Blackpool.

“Roly polys are for six-year-olds, not fifty-year-olds!” said Tony, speaking of his jive to Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances, for which he won 24 points out of 40 – the lowest of the night.

“It’s gotten hard these past few weeks, I had a bit of a hammy last week, went out and danced, and then on Thursday I pointed my toe down, a little bit of withdrawal, that’s not done in football, you know, point your toe – I kind of went “ahh!” so Friday we did nothing.

Emotional: The former Arsenal footballer, 56, got choked up when he referred to his mental health issues before his time on the hit BBC One dance show

‘Very professional the BBC, Physio was first class.’

“They said it’s your decision. Toon, do you want to go for it? My wife said, “My mother is coming, you have to dance.”‘

After he left the show, his wife Poppy spoke out, claiming the 56-year-old football legend was ‘sad’ to retire – but said he couldn’t keep up with the 10-hour training and labeled him as ‘ old with a dirty knee’.

Speaking to MailOnline exclusively from the couple’s Gloucestershire home, Poppy, 41, denied that her husband’s decision to quit the show was the result of a series of furious arguments with his partner Katya Jones, saying she’s ” both are spirited people’. .

Candid: Speaking to Rylan Clark about Strictly It Takes Two, Tony said, ‘This has been so good for mental health awareness – 26 years ago I should have been dead’

Difficult exit: ‘Roly polys are for six-year-olds, not fifty-year-olds!’ said Tony, talking about his jive to Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances, for which he won 24 points out of 40

She said: “Participating has taken its toll and it was time to drop out. He’s gone much further in the show than he’d hoped and it was time to leave.”

The BBC declined to explain what the injury was or how it came about, calling it a private, medical matter, although there was speculation that he had hurt his hamstring, a common complaint for footballers.

But there were no signs of him hurting himself during his jive to Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances with partner Katya, for which he won 24 points out of 40 – the lowest of the night.

‘His body can’t take it anymore’: Tony Adams sensationally quit Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday night and pulled out of the competition with an apparent hamstring injury