Olympic diver Tom Daley has shared a behind the scenes look at his dramatic transformation into a drag queen alter ego named Lady Godiva on Instagram.
The 32-year-old Olympian posted a series of photos and video clips on Tuesday detailing the step-by-step makeover, from wig caps and heavy makeup to padded underwear and a custom knitted dress.
Daley revealed that he created the mint green fitted midi dress himself through his knitting brand, Made With Love by Tom Daley, and credited Drag Race star Plastique Tiara for helping guide the transformation.
In the behind the scenes footage, Daley was pictured snacking in a makeup chair with his latest knitting project resting on his lap while wearing a wig cap and a full face of cosmetic makeup.
Other photos showed the sportsman displaying his abs and biceps in nude underwear paired with a long blonde plaited wig, before being helped into a nude padded bra to complete the silhouette.
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social network owned by technology company Meta, widely used by public figures to share personal updates and creative projects with global audiences.
The Lady Godiva Drag Makeover
Daley proudly posed alongside Drag Race star Plastique Tiara, who assisted with the elaborate cosmetic and styling process, with the pair pouting for the camera in full glamour.
Plastique Tiara gained international fame as a contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race, an American reality competition series celebrating drag performance, makeup artistry, and fashion design.
Writing in the caption of his Instagram post, Daley introduced his new persona to followers: "Welcome to the stage… Lady Godiva, she’s a really good diver;). I still can’t believe this is me! THANK YOU Plastique Tiara."
Fans flooded the comment section with praise for the makeover, with one follower declaring that "Lady Good Diver is iconic" while another wrote that "she's like an uber glam Emma Watson." A third commenter simply added: "What a queen."
The visual documentation showed Daley wearing a bold cap and full makeup before stripping off to pose in nude underwear, as well as showing the creative process behind his hand-knitted mint green dress.
In later clips shared with his social media followers, the athlete filmed himself taking off the heavy makeup to return to his natural appearance.
Reaction From Husband Dustin Lance Black
The transformation clip also captured the reaction of Daley's husband, 52-year-old American film director Dustin Lance Black, who appeared taken aback by his spouse's appearance.
Upon seeing Daley transformed as Lady Godiva, Black expressed his surprise on camera: "Oh my God, I'm straight now. I mean you are f*** beautiful, I don't understand what's happening to me, I always knew you were gonna make a beautiful woman but this is exceptional."
Daley quickly joked in response: "I'm gonna pick up the kids from school like this."
Black is an Oscar-winning American screenwriter and filmmaker who received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing the 2008 biographical film Milk.
The couple married in 2017 after four years together, having first met at a mutual friend's dinner party, and earlier this year celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary by sharing unseen images from their big day.
Reflecting on their early romance, Daley previously told the Observer: "It was a real love-at-first-sight thing. The first night, I took him to meet my friends and said 'This is my boyfriend'. The next night we went on our first date. The next night he asked me to be his boyfriend. The night after that, after a couple of lychee martinis, he told me he loved me."
Addressing their two-decade age difference, Daley told US Weekly that the gap feels smaller by the year, noting: "One hundred percent. It's funny because the people that know us know that I'm the more mature person that kind of runs the show in the house."
He added: "As we get older, I think we both align very well on what we want to achieve. We're both really big dreamers. I think that was the biggest thing for us, that we're both so supportive of each other. We don't limit the other person's dreams. We really make each other feel like we can achieve whatever we set our minds to."
Family Life And LA Relocation
Daley and Black are parents to two sons, Robert Ray, aged eight, and Phoenix Rose, aged three, both born via surrogate.
The couple recently made a full-time move to Los Angeles from England, relocating their family to California.
Los Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and serves as the global capital of the entertainment industry, housing major film and television studios.
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for another person or couple, providing a pathway to parenthood for many families.
Sporting Success And Television Career
Daley first began competing in diving when he was just 14 years old, quickly establishing himself as one of Britain's most celebrated young athletes.
He reached the pinnacle of his sporting career by winning an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021, before earning a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following his performance in Paris, Daley officially retired from professional diving two years ago, closing a distinguished international career spanning more than a decade.
The Olympic Games are the premier global multi-sport event, held every four years, featuring elite athletes from around the world competing in summer and winter disciplines.
Known for his passion for fashion, Daley has frequently been pictured attending fashion week events in major capitals.
An avid crocheter and knitter, he captured global media attention after being photographed crafting in the spectator stands during the Tokyo Olympics, which launched his commercial brand Made With Love by Tom Daley.
Since stepping away from professional sport, Daley has expanded his television career, starring on the first season of Celebrity Traitors and presenting Channel 4's Game of Wool: Britain's Best Knitter.
Channel 4 is a British public service television broadcaster known for producing independent entertainment programming across the United Kingdom.
