When you’ve won Olympic gold, stepping away from the pitch might feel like the end of a chapter. Sam Quek turned it into a new beginning — trading hockey sticks for TV microphones and becoming one of Britain’s most recognisable sports-to-media transitions.

Born: 18 October 1988 ·
Nationality: English ·
Olympic medal: Gold, Rio 2016 ·
International caps: 120+ (England & Great Britain) ·
Honour: MBE ·
Sport: Field hockey (defender)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Olympic gold medallist (Rio 2016) with Team GB (Team GB)
  • 120+ senior caps for England & Great Britain (BBC)
  • Awarded MBE (Instagram @samquek13)
  • Married to Tom Mairs (property entrepreneur) (HELLO! magazine)
  • Two children: daughter Molly and son Isaac (Mirror)
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • 2016 — Olympic gold, transition to media begins (The Sun)
  • 2024 — Appears as contestant on Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)
4What’s next

The table below summarises Sam Quek’s core biographical details.

Label Value
Full name Samantha Ann Quek
Born 18 October 1988
Birthplace Liverpool, England
Sport Field hockey (defender)
Olympic medal Gold, Rio 2016
International caps 120+ (England & Great Britain)
Honour MBE

What is Sam Quek famous for?

Sam Quek built her fame on two distinct playing fields: the hockey pitch and the television studio. She won an Olympic gold medal with Team GB at Rio 2016, and then pivoted into a full-time media career that includes presenting, radio hosting, and reality TV appearances.

Did Sam Quek do Strictly?

Yes — Sam Quek appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2024, as confirmed by BBC. That same year she also competed in Celebrity MasterChef in 2020 (Mirror) and took part in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2016 (The Sun). Her official Instagram bio describes her as “MBE • Olympic & European Gold Medallist • TV Presenter • Radio Host • Live Events Host • Author” (Instagram @samquek13).

The provided sources do not record any winnings from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. No verified figure for that appearance is available in the research material.

What to watch

Sam Quek’s career arc — from elite sport to mainstream TV — shows how Olympic recognition can unlock media opportunities, but the transition itself required deliberate brand-building and consistent on-screen roles.

Bottom line: Sam Quek is famous for an Olympic gold medal followed by a steady media career across Strictly, I’m a Celebrity, Celebrity MasterChef, talkSPORT radio, and live events. Her MBE and 120+ hockey caps cement her sport credibility.

The implication: her media footprint is broad enough that any single show appearance is part of a deliberate multi-platform strategy.

How much is Sam Quek worth?

No official net worth figure for Sam Quek is published by any government, financial institution, or verified source. The estimates that circulate online come from lower-tier entertainment sites and show a wide spread.

The only claim with any sourcing is from Smooth Radio, which describes her husband Tom Mairs as a “millionaire” or “multi-millionaire” property developer — but that refers to his wealth, not hers. Her own earnings come from TV presenting, radio hosting, public speaking, and authorship.

Several third-party profiles have guessed her net worth: Evening Ledger estimated £1–2 million; The City Celeb placed it at £5 million; another source said around £4 million (Evrim Ağacı). All three are unverified and from tier3 sites.

Bottom line: Sam Quek’s net worth is not publicly verifiable. Any number you see online — whether £1 million or £5 million — is an estimate from entertainment blogs, not from official disclosures. For readers researching her financial standing, the honest answer is: unknown.

The pattern: without a personal disclosure, all figures remain speculation.

What ethnicity is Sam Quek?

Sam Quek was born in Liverpool, England, on 18 October 1988. Her nationality is English. The provided sources do not detail her specific ethnic background beyond that.

Where does Sam Quek live now?

Her current residence is not documented in any of the sources reviewed. She grew up in Liverpool and has strong ties to the area, but no recent address or city of residence is confirmed.

The catch

While many celebrity profiles assume residence based on birthplace, no source in our review confirms where Sam Quek actually lives today. Any claim of a specific city is speculative unless the subject has publicly shared it.

The implication: location details are absent from official records, so any guess is just that.

Who is Sam Quek’s husband?

Sam Quek is married to property entrepreneur Tom Mairs. The couple’s relationship has been covered by multiple outlets, though some details remain inconsistent.

Does Sam Quek have a partner?

Yes — Tom Mairs, described as a property developer and former participant on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire in 2010 (HELLO! magazine). They first met in a bar in Liverpool (according to HELLO!, though this is a medium-confidence detail).

How many children does Sam Quek have?

According to Mirror, Sam Quek and Tom Mairs have two children: a daughter Molly and a son Isaac. The Mirror described them as being born roughly a year apart, but exact birth dates are not provided in the sources.

How did Sam Quek meet her husband?

HELLO! magazine reports that the couple first crossed paths in a bar in Liverpool (source). The same profile states they married at Chester Racecourse. However, the wedding year is contradictory: the Irish Mirror says 2018, while another entertainment profile (Policyline) says 2021. This discrepancy remains unresolved in the available sources.

Why this matters

For a public figure who controls her own narrative via Instagram and LinkedIn, the absence of a unified wedding date suggests her private life remains precisely that — private. Readers should treat any single year with caution unless it is confirmed by a direct statement from Quek herself.

Bottom line: Sam Quek is married to Tom Mairs and they have two children, but the wedding year is contested. Any specific date should be treated as unverified until she addresses it directly.

The consequence: this is one of the few personal details where even the media cannot agree, reinforcing the couple’s privacy.

What does Sam Quek do now?

Sam Quek currently works as a television presenter and radio host. She hosts on talkSPORT radio and appears as a live events host, in addition to being an author (Instagram bio). Her transition from elite sport to media began after the 2016 Olympics and has been sustained through consistent TV bookings.

What has happened to Sam Quek?

After her international hockey career ended, Quek built a parallel media career that now includes multiple reality show appearances, a regular radio slot, and public speaking engagements. She has not disappeared from public life — rather, she has shifted from sport to entertainment. For similar career transitions, read about Dr Ranj Singh and Rochelle Humes.

Bottom line: Sam Quek is actively working in TV, radio, and live events. Her profile has grown since the Olympic gold, not faded. Anyone searching for “what happened to Sam Quek” should understand she transitioned media careers and is still in the public eye.

The pattern: her media career is now the primary narrative, not an epilogue to sport.

Timeline

  • 18 October 1988 — Born Samantha Ann Quek in Liverpool, England (The Sun).
  • Age 18 — Earned first senior international cap for England/Great Britain (BBC).
  • 2013 — Won European silver medal with England (Team GB).
  • 2014 — Won Commonwealth silver medal with England (Team GB).
  • 2016 — Won Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016 with Team GB (Team GB).
  • Post-2016 — Built media career: TV presenter, radio host, live events host, author (Instagram @samquek13).

What we know and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

  • Born 18 Oct 1988 in Liverpool (The Sun)
  • Olympic gold, Rio 2016 (Team GB)
  • 120+ senior caps for England & GB (BBC)
  • European & Commonwealth silver medals (Team GB)
  • MBE honour (Instagram @samquek13)
  • Appeared on Strictly (2024), I’m a Celebrity (2016), Celebrity MasterChef (2020) (BBC; Mirror)
  • Married to Tom Mairs (HELLO! magazine)
  • Two children: Molly and Isaac (Mirror)

What remains unclear

  • Exact net worth (no verified figure)
  • Wedding year (2018 vs 2021 contradiction)
  • Specific ethnicity beyond English
  • Current residence
  • Whether she has a twin

“Winning Olympic gold was incredible, surreal and life changing.”

— Sam Quek, official Facebook bio

“MBE · Olympic & European Gold Medallist · TV Presenter · Radio Host · Live Events Host · Author.”

— Sam Quek, Instagram @samquek13

Described by BBC Strictly as “a Liverpool-born former hockey player with 120+ caps and first cap at age 18.”

— BBC Strictly Come Dancing profile

For anyone tracking Sam Quek’s trajectory, the takeaway is straightforward: Olympic gold was the launchpad, but her real career is the media one she built in its shadow. The details of her private life — wedding date, net worth, residence — remain hers to share. Until she does, the only numbers worth trusting are the ones on the Olympic medal and the international caps tally.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sam Quek’s full name?

Samantha Ann Quek.

How old is Sam Quek?

Born 18 October 1988 — she is currently 36.

What position did Sam Quek play in hockey?

She played as a defender.

What honours has Sam Quek received?

She was awarded an MBE and holds an Olympic gold, European silver, and Commonwealth silver medals.

Where was Sam Quek born?

Liverpool, England.

What is Sam Quek’s Instagram handle?

@samquek13

Is Sam Quek married?

Yes, to property entrepreneur Tom Mairs.

Does Sam Quek have children?

Yes — a daughter Molly and a son Isaac.