After a stellar fortnight in the city of light, Rebecca Adlington has touched down on home soil. In addition to fantastic poolside punditry in Paris for the Olympic Games, the former athlete has won gold in the fashion department.
With much attention on the colourful ensembles she shares on Instagram, the two-time gold medallist, who goes by Becky to most, has become the sports world's freshest fashion influencer.
But for Rebecca, 35, who candidly admits to a laid-back attitude when it comes to fashion, it's come as a lovely, albeit unexpected, surprise.
© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!In her final HELLO! column, the mother-of-two chats about how "mad" she has found the focus on her attire at this year's games.
The star also details her final few days in Paris, reuniting with her two children Albie, three, and Summer, nine, and her hopes for more glittering opportunities on the small screen.
Fashion's freshest influencer
[Being labelled a fashionista] has been completely bizarre! I wouldn't ever consider myself fashionable. It's been really lovely, but I just find it mad that people comment on that when medals are happening. I just think, 'We've got Olympic medals, but we talk about my dresses.'
But getting glamorous every day was a fun experience. I know a lot of the makeup artists who work on the BBC and I wish I could have access to them every day. When I said goodbye I said, 'Who's going to do my hair now?' I'll have to go back to doing it myself and I'm rubbish.
Every night we were just relaxed about it. I'd say to them, 'Do your thing, it's totally fine'. I don't have a particular style. We didn't want to do anything heavy because we weren't going on a night out, we just wanted nice outfits.
I've seen some of the athletes wearing a lot of jewellery. The swimmers less so, they might wear a small stud but not too much because chlorine is not good for it! But I saw one athlete wearing large hanging earrings. I would be too conscious about it coming out or hitting me.
The nicest thing has been people commenting not just on what I look like but saying, 'I've loved watching you guys, you've made it so fun.' That's what me, Mark Foster and Clare Balding have tried to do.
We act exactly the same off air and we have a genuine laugh together. The Olympics shouldn't be super serious and dull. It's sport. It's exciting and it's fun.
© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!The last days in Paris
The Olympics this year has had the edge. I think the smaller time difference has really helped but also the venue. People have been getting involved and I've had people messaging me saying how incredible the atmosphere came across.
Sunday was our last day, and so on Monday, I decided to go and see a bit of Paris.
I got up early and went to see the beach volleyball. The venue under the Eiffel Tower was absolutely incredible and the atmosphere was amazing.
© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!There's something about beach volleyball where everyone's just dancing and happy, it's a really good crowd.
I got an Uber bike and cycled up to the Sacre Coeur because that's the only part that I hadn't been to. I also went to see Team GB house and it was cool to see everyone just watching the sport together, cheering.
We watched the Cycling Sprint where the women's team, Emma Finucane, Sophie Capewell and Katy Marchant, won gold and everyone just went crazy.
It was just really nice to celebrate Team GB's successes!
Reuniting with the kids
I'm now back home with both Albie and Summer. I reunited with Summer, who had been on holiday with her cousin in Spain, but we had a nightmare with travel.
She was supposed to get in at seven in the evening but she ended up getting in at 11 pm, and then we were off to our hotel. But it was lovely to see her, and she had such a lovely time.
© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!We missed a lot of the Olympic action on the way back because I was on the Eurostar but social media is great for catching up.
I've not had a day off since July, so Sunday will be the first day off where I'm not travelling or anything. I get to just chill, watch the closing ceremony, and do normal stuff like cook a meal.
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© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!Back to reality
I'm then working for the next three weeks. I jumped straight back into my full-time work when I got home. I run my own company called Swim, a learn-to-swim business.
It's not Olympic stuff but it helps the sport because the more kids we get at the grassroots level, then hopefully the more Olympians we'll have.
© Rebecca Adlington/HELLO!It's also important to get kids in the water and learn that life skill. That's all we're bothered about.
I've got a holiday at the end of August with my mum and dad. We're going to Greece which will be really lovely.
Blossoming TV career
I've always said I would absolutely love to do more TV work, the opportunities are just never there. I think there are just so many people in that industry that it's really difficult.
And I understand why because there are so many fantastic people that there's almost too much choice. If an opportunity kind of came around, I'd absolutely jump at it. But it just never really has. I do try and put my name forward for things and talk to different people about it. Maybe in the future, who knows?
