Tom Daley reveals that some of his father's ashes were buried by the London 2012 diving platform

Tom Daley revealed that some of his late father’s ashes were buried at the bottom of the London 2012 diving platform.

The 27-year-old diver told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Thursday’s This Morning that his father, who died in 2011 of a brain tumour, had ‘the best seats in the house’ during the Olympics nine years ago.

‘We buried some of his ashes under the tile of the bottom of the platform so that I could put my drinks bottle there – and I could touch it every time I was about to perform. So he had the best seat in the house in the end,’ he recalled. 

Poignant: Tom Daley revealed on Thursday’s This Morning that some of his late father’s ashes were buried at the bottom of the London 2012 diving platform 

Rob Daley was aged 40 when he passed away and Tom detailed how London 2012 had been their shared dream. 

‘I found it really difficult to process that I was never going to see him again, and although I knew he was sick and was going to pass away at some point, when it actually happened it was so horrible to think about.

‘I actually couldn’t let in sink in that he wasn’t going to see me compete in London 2012 because it was always something we’d always dreamed of doing together.’

Sad: Rob Daley was aged 40 when he passed away of a brain tumour [pictured with Tom in 2008]

Tom bagged his first gold medal alongside Matty Lee in the men’s synchronised 10m platform final at Tokyo 2020, something which he hoped would have made his dad ‘extremely proud.’  

Of this long-awaited achievement, he said: ‘It’s always been my dream. I started diving when I was seven, so I’ve been diving for twenty years, so it’s been almost my whole life.’

He added: ‘I valued how well I was doing in life by how well I was doing at diving and over the years I always thought I could [achieve gold] but it’s going to be really tough.’

Achievement: Tom bagged his first gold medal alongside Matty Lee in the men’s synchronised 10m platform final at Tokyo 2020

In the tell-all interview, the father-of-one also discussed coming out as gay in 2013 and how some of his family were not so understanding.

‘I think everyone has a slightly different reaction when you are finally able to come out and be honest to share your whole self to people – and I think some people take a bit more extra time to understand it and let it sink in.  

‘My dad would’ve been happy that I was happy. I think the thing that he would’ve been most upset about – if he was upset – was that I couldn’t share it with him from the very first moment that I ever thought about it because me and my dad were good friends,’ he reflected. 

Reflecting: In the tell-all interview, the father-of-one also discussed coming out as gay in 2013 and how some of his family were not so understanding

Tom’s forte didn’t stop at diving during this year’s postponed Olympics, as he also showcased a new hobby – knitting.  

He showed off the iconic Team GB jumper that he created poolside and it was evident the pastime has not shown signs of wearing off.

He laughed: ‘I started crocheting Christmas place mats and Lance was like “Tom, there needs to be an intervention here, not everything in the house needs to be knitted!”‘ 

Pastime: Tom’s forte didn’t stop at diving during this year’s postponed Olympics, as he also showcased a new hobby – knitting