Tom Daley’s former diving partner and OnlyFans model Matty Lee, a British Olympic champion, has officially announced his retirement.
Lee has quit the sport at the age of 26 after a series of injuries and surgeries, losing ‘passion’ for diving after the death of his father in 2022.
He helped Great Britain clinch a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo alongside Daley in the men’s synchronized 10 metre platform event.
Lee, who spent a total of 20 years in the sport, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2022 for his services to diving.
‘It’s time for me to step away from diving,’ Lee said in an emotional social media post on his Instagram account on Thursday.
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‘This decision hasn’t been easy but after losing my dad in 2022, I struggled to find the same passion I once had. He was my ‘why’.
‘Then came injuries, surgeries and the realisation that I don’t want to be a broken man moving forward. Diving has given me the world, literally. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve travelled, the memories I’ve made. That’s what I’ll cherish the most.’
Lee landed gold for England at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 with Noah Williams in the men’s synchronised 10 metre platform event.
He also won gold medals for Britain at the European Championships, European Diving Championships, European Games, European Junior Championships, Diving World Cup and British Championships.
Lee underwent spinal surgery in March 2024, which ruled him out of the Olympic Games in Paris last year.
The Leeds-born star joined adult website OnlyFans in 2023 in order to supplement his diving income.
‘I have not been hacked,’ Lee posted on his Instagram story two years ago to announce the decision. ‘I have not been scammed. See for yourself.’
Speaking to Instinct Magazine, Lee added: ‘Remember I’m a Team GB diver not a [porn star].
‘So everything will be [safe for work] and a place where I can interact with you all.’
Lee, who also appeared on ITV reality television show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, has thanked his dad, mum, brother, coach and Daley following his retirement from diving.
‘Your support, knowledge, and dedication never went unnoticed,’ Lee said. ‘To my closest friends. You never pulled me away from my sport, you lifted me up through it. Your support, laughter and belief in me meant more than you’ll ever know.
‘To my fans and followers, thank you for your unwavering support, through every dive, every challenge, every triumph. You made this journey even more special.’
Lee added: ‘And finally to the doubters. Thank you, too. You kept me hungry. You made me push harder. And in the end, I proved to myself that I could achieve more than I ever imagined.
‘What’s next? Honestly, I don’t know. And that’s both terrifying and exciting. But I do know this. There’s more to life than diving and I’m ready for it.’