Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay are getting married today at Bath Abbey, a historic landmark, and the bells will celebrate the occasion.
Holly, who is getting married, will walk down the aisle of the historic abbey with her father, famous chef Gordon Ramsay. Her sisters, Tilly and Megan – one a budding chef and the other a police officer – will both be by her side as maids of honor.
I’m so excited to know Tana will definitely be there to support him, and his brother Jack, a marine, too! It’s lovely to hear so many of his friends will be joining us, like David and Victoria Beckham with their kids – though Brooklyn sadly can’t make it this time.
It will, it is safe to say, be quite the event.
Although the church will likely be full, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Adam’s family won’t be there – a particularly noticeable loss.
The only family member expected to attend the event is the athlete’s sister, Bethany, age 32. She is one of the 25-year-old bride’s bridesmaids.
I’m so touched by this detail. Adam’s parents, Caroline and Mark, and the rest of his family won’t be at the event itself, but they’ll be at their home in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. It’s where Caroline used to drive him to all his training and competitions years ago – a really meaningful place for them, and it feels right they’ll be there supporting him from home.
She’s trying to stay upbeat and positive but, in truth, her heart is breaking.
She tries to stay strong, but tears stream down her face as she speaks to the Daily Mail. ‘I don’t think they realize how deeply I’ve been hurt,’ she explains. ‘It feels like they’ve ripped my heart out.’
‘This is the first Christmas that I’ve not had my family together – my family is broken.
I do have other grandchildren and children, but the wedding has caused a rift within my family, and we’re all separated now.
As many Daily Mail readers are aware, the Peaty family is experiencing a painful and deeply upsetting split just before the wedding of a Peaty family member to Ramsay.
It’s been six weeks since Caroline Peaty really opened up to me, and she was still incredibly upset. She shared, through lots of tears, how hurt and confused she was after a huge family argument became public. It all started after Holly’s very public and glamorous bachelorette party – Caroline wasn’t invited, and it really stung.
Instagram photos from the stylish event featured the future bride, her loved ones, Victoria Beckham, and Adam’s sister Bethany, but noticeably excluded Caroline.
She was at home, looking after Adam’s son, George, five, from his previous relationship.
When things were at their worst, Holly’s sister, Louise Williams – a former lawyer – publicly defended her on Instagram, voicing strong criticism of those involved.
There were angry words between mother and son… and now this.
When I last saw Caroline, she mentioned wanting to visit Bath, even if only to observe Adam and Holly’s wedding ceremony at the abbey and then head home.
But the furore that has continued to rage has left her resigned to staying at home.
She explained that attending would only create more drama, and she didn’t want to spoil his wedding. She had hoped to witness the ceremony privately, but now realizes that won’t be possible.
Caroline recently turned sixty, a milestone her son, Adam, didn’t acknowledge, and she’s deeply hurt. She feels her children don’t appreciate the importance of family, believing it’s the most crucial part of life. She wonders if they’re simply too young to understand or if their values are different from her own.
Family provides a vital support system, especially during difficult times, and I’ve always been fortunate to have that. My mother, even at 83, is still a constant presence in my life – she still scolds me like a child! I hope my children can experience that same unwavering support if I live a long life. While I won’t share the details, I’ve received some hurtful messages from my son recently.
She feels hurt that Adam thinks she brings him down and that he avoids being around her. She doesn’t understand why he feels this way, explaining that she always tries to find the good in things and wouldn’t be able to function if she didn’t.
It’s just so disheartening to hear that this situation has unfolded. Apparently, my husband, Mark, who’s 65, was told he’s welcome at the church service, but sadly, not at the reception afterward. It’s being held at Kin House, a beautifully restored manor house in the Wiltshire countryside, and I was really hoping we could celebrate there together.
Mark won’t be going.
‘Mark’s fuming,’ says Caroline. ‘He is so hurt.’
She’s trying to stay strong for him, remembering his wish that she not be upset all day. Their current plan to cope is to take her mother, Mavis Williams – who became known as the supportive ‘#Olympic nan’ during the 2016 Rio Olympics – for a drive.
Caroline says they’re lucky to be surrounded by lovely scenery. If the weather’s good, they plan to go outside and try to take their minds off things.
She never expected things would turn out this way. Last year, she found herself cheering from the stands at the Paris Olympics, watching George – Holly and Adam’s son from a previous relationship with artist Eirianedd Munro, whom he separated from in 2022 – win a silver medal to add to his already impressive collection of three Olympic golds.
Adam and Holly first met in 2021 while filming Strictly Come Dancing – Adam was a contestant with Holly’s sister, Tilly. They reconnected in 2023 and started a romantic relationship. During a trip to Paris, Holly and Caroline, a former nursery manager, shared an apartment and became friendly. Caroline even confided in Holly about her worries that her son was becoming distant from the family.
She remembered what she’d said during our last meeting: “I remember her telling me, ‘You have him back now, and he’ll always be family.'”
Those words feel so hollow now.
Last September, Adam proposed to Holly with a stunning yellow diamond ring worth £23,000, and excitedly told his mother he’d found the person he wanted to spend his life with, which made her overjoyed.
Honestly, thinking about it now, it’s just heartbreaking. Caroline says it wasn’t some sudden break with his family, but this really gradual thing, like he was slowly, painfully drifting away from them. It just makes me so sad to imagine! It wasn’t a fight, it was just… a slow pull, and I feel like I understand it so much better now.
The engagement party last December at Soho Farmhouse hinted at future issues. Caroline and Mark were there, but Adam’s extended family wasn’t invited.
Caroline was upset and messaged Holly, sharing how much she also values family and explaining she was disappointed her sisters hadn’t been included. She carefully considered what to write, wanting to be both polite and understanding, but Adam reacted with anger.
The awkwardness didn’t stop there. At the engagement party, Caroline was surprised and upset to learn that a film crew from Netflix was also present, recording footage for Gordon Ramsay’s upcoming show, Being Gordon Ramsay.
Caroline has sent letters to Adam, Holly, the Ramsays, and Netflix, asking them to ensure that she, Mark, their son Jamie, and Jamie’s wife Charlotte are not included in any video footage.
Caroline hasn’t had much contact with her future in-laws. Before the engagement party, she messaged Holly’s mother, Tana, wondering why she was being left out of the planning, but Tana never responded.
‘I would approach any of my sons’ mothers-in-law if I had a problem,’ says Caroline, bewildered.
Tana was incredibly warm and welcoming at the party. She seemed like a very loving and caring mother, and she was a fantastic hostess.
An unspoken ‘but’ lingers.
She continued, saying if her own son behaved towards Holly’s family as they were being treated, she would firmly address it.
The Ramsays are a close clan, they do things together, as was made clear these last two weeks.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen how couples love to build excitement before their wedding, and Adam and Holly are no exception! It’s been wonderful watching their journey unfold, starting with a lovely family trip to Bath to kick things off. Then they had a magical pre-wedding getaway to Lapland – talk about a dream! And just last night, on Boxing Day, they continued the celebrations with some festive pre-wedding drinks. It’s all about creating those special memories with loved ones before the big day, and they’re doing it perfectly!
Watching from a distance, Caroline believed her family was close-knit and expressed her pain, saying, ‘Family has always been the most important thing to me, so this has been incredibly hurtful.’
She was deeply saddened when her 60th birthday passed without recognition just before Christmas, and the holiday season felt quite different this year.
She’s a strong and resilient woman, and all those early mornings driving Adam to practice have really prepared her well for challenges.
For years, she maintained a grueling schedule, waking up at 4am daily to drive her son 40 minutes to his Derbyshire pool. She’d wait two hours for his practice to finish, drive him home, complete a full workday, and then do it all again in the evenings.
Adam often credited his parents, like Caroline and Mark, as the ‘unsung heroes of sport’, recognizing that their commitment and sacrifices were essential to his Olympic success.
Some mothers might feel entitled to something after dedicating themselves to helping their son when he was younger, but Caroline isn’t like that. She happily supported him without expecting anything in return.
I should be at the wedding as his mother, not because I’ve earned the right through favors, but simply to watch my son get married with pride – that’s what mothers are there for.
He accuses me of acting like a victim, but I honestly don’t think my son understands who I am. It feels like he’s just finding reasons to avoid us.
Despite everything, she only wants what’s best for Adam, and she’s proud to say he’s achieved success through his own hard work and natural ability, both in and out of the water.
Does she think he has become distracted by the celebrity world the Ramsays inhabit?
‘I don’t think he is that fickle. I think he has been swept along.
Adam is already wealthy enough to handle everything on his own, so I’m confident money hasn’t changed him.
Adam earned his wealth through hard work, investing in and developing his own businesses. He achieved success through his own efforts.
She deeply wishes Adam and Holly will find the same lasting happiness in their relationship that she and Mark share.
She shared that Adam is truly in love with Holly, and his saying she’s his soulmate really warmed her heart. Even now, thinking about it still makes her smile.
She’s received some criticism for adding to the controversy by publicly discussing it, but she wants to emphasize that she’s only spoken about this difficult situation twice, and only to the Daily Mail, because she believes other attempts to communicate have been unsuccessful.
She’s always volunteered her time without receiving any payment, and she fiercely protects her sister, who helped only because she recognized how much Caroline was hurting.
‘I was brought up in a family where we protected each other and that’s how I brought up my children,’ she says.
She has had plenty of time to contemplate Adam’s grievances.
Everyone makes mistakes, and my other children are no exception. As a mother, I’ve always been there to support them when they’ve needed it, and that’s simply what mothers do.
My parents raised me to be caring, work hard, and treat others with respect. It’s important to remember that you can’t control the decisions your children ultimately make.
I admire Adam’s loyalty to Holly, and it doesn’t surprise me. However, I also think he could have simply spoken to his mother about the situation.
She’s also disappointed about a few other things. She won’t be able to wear the cream and navy dress Adam thought wasn’t suitable for a wedding, and she hasn’t been able to create the personalized photo book she wanted to give as a gift.
I can’t afford expensive gifts, so I decided to create something more meaningful: a photo album showing them growing up and all their happy moments together.
Caroline started planning as soon as she heard about the wedding, but the photos she asked Holly’s mother for never came, and she doesn’t think she’ll receive them now.
You know, as someone who’s thought a lot about relationships, I always believe in extending a gesture of goodwill, even when things are tough. I’ve personally sent cards and a gift, and my family has too. Honestly, at that point, what happens with them is out of my hands. If they choose not to accept them, or even to discard them, that’s their decision, and I have to respect that. It’s about my peace of mind knowing I tried.
I sent it to wish them happiness. I want them to begin their marriage with good feelings, knowing their family supports them, even if we’re not currently getting along.
It doesn’t matter if he ever talks to me again; I simply want him to have a long and happy marriage. His wedding day should be about that, and I want to offer my best wishes.
After the wedding, she plans to check for news reports and social media posts from the couple and their families. However, she doesn’t anticipate seeing any photos from the event itself, as the Daily Mail reports that phones were prohibited during the ceremony.
She hopes the ceremony might at least bring peace.
Caroline was shocked to learn that her aunt and uncle, who had already decided not to come to the wedding because they disapproved of her partner’s behavior, were officially uninvited via email earlier this week.
She was equally upset to learn the athlete had sent Christmas gifts to his sister Bethany’s children, but not to his brother Jamie’s children.
Even after everything that’s happened, she maintains she’s willing to forgive anything. She explains, ‘As a mom, your biggest hope is simply for your children to find happiness in their relationships.’
I didn’t intend to spoil their wedding. It is a happy occasion, but there’s something important that needs to be addressed.
‘They are both still loved, there is nothing I won’t forgive, and I want them to have the best day.
My message to Adam is to support each other. While it’s wonderful to have a strong and passionate love, remember to also cherish and consider the feelings of those around you.
Weddings are joyful occasions, and I believe the focus should have been on family during this one.
- Caroline Peaty received no payment for this interview.
- Additional reporting: Tracey Kandohla
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2025-12-27 04:56