Former England striker Andy Carroll has publicly named 59-year-old television dance instructor Kevin Adams, a BBC Fame Academy star, as the man convicted of sexually assaulting him in 2019.

Adams received a 20-month prison sentence after being convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in November 2023. Carroll first described the attack in his memoir Owning It without naming his abuser, but confirmed the identity after learning Adams's name had appeared in publicly available court documents, saying he hoped he could finally put the chapter behind him.

Reports now claim Adams may also have targeted at least two more male celebrities, with more people coming forward since Carroll's revelation. The suggestion that the dance coach may have had other victims has added a disturbing new dimension to the case, and raises questions about how long his behaviour went unchecked.

Carroll has said the attack had a devastating impact on his life and his loved ones. He described giving evidence at the trial as humiliating and horrendous, and asked that people not share pictures of his abuser alongside him, saying he did not want to keep seeing his face or being reminded of him every time the story was spoken about.

Adams, who appeared as a dance coach on BBC1's Fame Academy in 2002 and later on Strictly It Takes Two, tried at trial to cast himself as the victim. The judge rejected that account, telling him he had spun an incredible tale and had started to believe his own lies. He was placed on the sex offenders register and banned from Carroll's village.

The emergence of further potential victims will put fresh pressure on the authorities to examine Adams's history and on the BBC to answer questions about a man who was once a trusted face on its programmes. For Carroll, who said naming his abuser would let him move forward, the widening of the case is a reminder of how far the repercussions of one man's crimes can spread.

The claims about other potential victims mark a significant development. If further complainants come forward, the police may be forced to reopen their investigation into Adams's past, and the scope of the case could widen considerably. For the BBC, questions are already being asked about what was known about Adams during his time on its programmes. The corporation has said it takes such matters extremely seriously. Carroll, for his part, has said he is ready to move forward, but the emergence of new allegations means the story is far from over.