Tom Daley Says Knitting And Crochet Has Become His "Superpower"

Tom Daley, Britain's most decorated Olympic diver, has undergone a remarkable career transition since retiring from competitive diving. Now, at 30 years old, the diver-turned-presenter has become one of the most prominent advocates for knitting and crochet in contemporary popular culture. His journey from the diving board to the knitting needle represents not just a career change, but a personal evolution that he has been increasingly vocal about in recent months.

Recently, Daley has been reflecting on how his passion for fiber arts intersects with his identity as a queer person. In a candid interview with PinkNews, Daley addressed misconceptions about knitting and emphasized that pursuing the craft has never been a source of shame for him.

When discussing his experience growing up queer, Daley made a striking observation about how knitting fits into the broader context of his life. "Growing up as a queer kid, you already had so much shame around being different or whatever," he explained. "So then I kind of got to a point myself, where actually, that felt like the least of my worries."

This statement underscores an important perspective: for Daley, the challenges associated with his queer identity far outweighed any social stigma that might be attached to traditionally feminine crafts like knitting. He clarified that he never internalized shame about the hobby itself. "I never felt shame. I didn't even know that there was shame to be felt around it. I didn't think of it as something that was weird or different," he told the publication.

Daley's openness about this distinction is significant within broader conversations about masculinity, queerness, and creative pursuits. By publicly stating that knitting was never a source of personal shame, he challenges the notion that certain hobbies are inherently gendered or that engaging in them requires explanation or justification.

Beyond addressing questions of shame and identity, Daley has described knitting and crochet as his "superpower"—a characterization that speaks to the genuine psychological and emotional benefits he derives from the craft.

"It was just something that I found to be my superpower, where I can switch off from everything and be very focused on the here and now, so I've loved being able to knit," Daley explained. This description aligns with broader research into the therapeutic benefits of knitting, which has been increasingly recognized by mental health professionals as a form of mindfulness and stress relief.

Daley originally came to knitting through practical necessity. According to an interview discussing his work on the Channel 4 show "Game of Wool," his coach suggested he needed to find a way to relax before training sessions. "I started knitting for the reason that I felt like or my coach told me that I was never able to sit still and that I was always on the go and I needed to come to training on Monday rested and relaxed and tried to find something where I could actually sit down and do that," Daley revealed.

What began as a practical tool for managing his hyperactivity evolved into a passion that has fundamentally shaped his post-Olympic career.

Daley's recent partnership with The National Lottery demonstrates how deeply knitting and crochet have become integrated into his professional identity. The collaboration centers on a creative and whimsical project: a scratchcard-igan—a cardigan that doubles as a lottery scratchcard.

The campaign is particularly meaningful to Daley because of The National Lottery's historical role in funding British sports programs. "The National Lottery has been something that has funded British sport for so long, and it funds so many great causes as well," Daley noted. "For me, The National Lottery has funded all of the sports programmes that I was involved with when I was growing up and coming up through the ranks in the world of diving, so it just felt like a cool cause to get behind."

The scratchcard-igan features panels that winners can scratch to reveal whether they have won a £500 prize. One hundred scratchcard-igans were made available through an Instagram campaign , with participants required to comment "Merry Scratchmas" on a pinned post between November 10-30, 2025. Winners were set to receive their cardigans starting December 1, 2025.

Beyond individual projects and partnerships, Daley is focused on expanding his knitting brand, Made With Love, which he launched to share his passion with a broader audience. Looking ahead to 2026, Daley has articulated an ambitious vision for the brand's future.

"At the moment, I've been making yarns that have been very specific, whereas I'm hoping to try and create yarns and have patterns that are accessible for everyone," he explained. This commitment to accessibility reflects Daley's broader philosophy about knitting and crochet—that these crafts should not be gatekept or limited to particular communities or skill levels.

Daley is also committed to making Made With Love his full-time professional focus. "So my plan is to try and grow Made With Love. I've gone from my job of diving to then going into knitting and crochet, but I want to be able to make it like an actual full time thing," he stated.

Daley's work extends beyond personal branding to participating in broader cultural conversations about craft and mindfulness. He hosts Channel 4's "Game of Wool," a competition show that premiered in November 2025, which features knitters and crocheters competing in various challenges. The show's premise—finding Britain's best knitter and crocheter while showcasing the diversity of the craft—aligns with Daley's mission to normalize and celebrate fiber arts.

In discussing the show and the resurgence of interest in knitting among younger generations, Daley observed that craft provides a counterbalance to technology-dominated lifestyles. "Knitting and crochet is starting to have a little bit of a resurgence because there was such a big period of time, especially for the younger generation, where technology kind of took over everything," he noted. "Craft allows you to slow down. It allows you to do something with your hands. Do something that you may not have even considered before."

Beyond knitting specifically, Daley has experimented with various fiber and textile crafts, including sewing, candle making, and quilting. He emphasized that these pursuits offer intergenerational value, providing "a great way like cross-generationally to be able to have like a common ground as well."

As of late 2025, Daley has been actively working on multiple projects. In a YouTube interview, he revealed that he was simultaneously working on several pieces, including something "slightly traitors themed" for someone and an advent calendar project. The advent calendar project is particularly ambitious: Daley planned to release daily five-minute knitting tutorials throughout December, allowing followers to complete a stocking by Christmas Eve.

Additionally, in early 2025, Daley shared on Instagram that he was working on exciting new knitting projects for the year, including a chunky beanie hat in grey and white speckled yarn and what appeared to be the sleeve of a jumper in chunky orange yarn.

Throughout his public advocacy for knitting and crochet, Daley has consistently worked to challenge stigma and promote inclusivity. On the "Game of Wool," one of the first competitors, Gordon, explicitly stated his desire to prove "there's nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to knitting, and the hobby is for anyone." Daley's agreement with this sentiment and his willingness to platform such conversations reflects his commitment to using his platform to normalize fiber arts across all demographics.

His approach is particularly significant given the historical gendering of knitting and crochet as feminine pursuits. By prominently featuring these crafts as central to his identity and career, and by refusing to apologize for or minimize their importance, Daley challenges restrictive notions of masculinity and queer identity.