I’m a four-time Olympic medallist for Team GB but now am a wedding photographer after career change

There are many career paths open to athletes after retirement, with many choosing to become a coach or expert.

But no career path after retirement has been as eclectic as that of one of Britain’s most successful gymnasts, Louis Smith.

The Olympics return this summer at Paris 2024 – which will be shown live on talkSPORT in July – but Smith will not appear in a Team GB leotard.

In November 2018, when he was 29, he retired from gymnastics, citing “exciting opportunities” as the reason for retiring from the sport.

Now 35 years old, Smith has indeed shown his talents in a wide range of activities over the past six years.

From pommel horse to musical theater to photography, his journey is fascinating to follow.

Olympic celebrity

Smith burst onto the scene at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning a bronze medal in pommel horse, her specialty event.

He became the first Briton to win an Olympic gymnastics medal since 1928.

This was followed by two medals at London 2012 – a silver on pommel horse and a team bronze – with his success in the home games earning him an MBE for his services to gymnastics.

Smith complemented his Olympic medal with another silver on pommel horse at Rio 2016, finishing behind compatriot Max Whitlock.

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He didn’t just enjoy success at the Olympics: Smith also won two Commonwealth Games titles, two European titles and five medals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

Although he officially retired from gymnastics in 2018, Smith became interested in other activities earlier in his career.

In 2012, shortly after his success at the London Olympics, he appeared on the British television show Strictly Come Dancing.

Along with professional partner Flavia Cacace, Smith won the show after one of the most closely fought finals in Strictly history.

It was a very successful stint on reality TV, and it wouldn’t be the last. Smith later took part in The Jump, a show that followed celebrities as they attempted to master a range of winter sports. He finished second in the 2017 edition of the show.

Post-gymnastics life

Smith had initially planned to continue gymnastics at least until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but he announced his retirement two years before the Games.

“Recently, with the changes in the qualification criteria, in addition to the exciting opportunities presented to me as I consider the next step in my career beyond gymnastics, I had to make the very difficult decision to finally hang up my leotard,” he wrote in a statement.

Smith immediately launched a career in musical theater, appearing in a show called Tear It Up – The 60s at the London Palladium. Her castmates included pop stars Harry Judd (McFly), Jay McGuiness (The Wanted) and Aston Merrygold (JLS), all of whom had also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing.

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The following year, Smith participated in the 1970s adaptation of the series, before playing a role in Bring It On: The Musical towards the end of 2021. The former gymnast also competed in the first ever series of The masked dancer in 2021, winning the show.

In addition to singing and dancing, Smith now has a new hobby that he has turned into a career: photography.

Behind the camera

Smith’s main focus currently appears to be photography. He even has his own website and Instagram account showcasing his work.

According to the website, it started out as a hobby for the Olympian, but his passion became more serious when he started getting hired by his friends and family.

Its offerings include portrait, property and landscape photography, as well as wedding photography.

Pricing his deals based on his “current level of expertise”, hiring Smith as a wedding photographer costs between £700 and £1,400.

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“I look forward to showcasing the growth and passion that defines my evolving photography skills,” Smith wrote on his website. “In embarking on this exciting journey, my goal is to capture the unique essence of your special day, creating timeless memories that will be cherished for a lifetime.”

His passions kept Smith away from gymnastics, the Olympic medalist insisted in 2022 that he did not miss the sport.

“I wouldn’t trade it for what I’m doing now and the happiness I have,” he told The Express. “It’s a very difficult sport; we have no off-season and you literally train all year round.

“If you want to be the best, you don’t take a vacation, you dedicate yourself and you sacrifice and you do what others don’t do. It’s a very difficult sport and I congratulate anyone who is able to achieve this and do very well in gymnastics.

Smith has certainly forged a fascinating career after gymnastics, while also proving to be a man of many talents.

The Olympics are on talkSPORT this summer and you can tune in via our free online streaming service at talkSPORT.com