Matthew Mitcham is leaving all doors open after retiring from competitive diving

Could Matthew Mitcham be the next sporting star to joing the Olympic Games commentary team?

Matthew Mitcham

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Matthew Mitcham would like the executives at Channel Seven to know if there’s a spot free on the 2016 Olympic Game commentary team, he is keen as mustard.

Unless a gig working with Stephen Fry comes up in the meantime.

“Working an Olympics, and at the diving would be an obvious job, and also a dream job,” Mitcham said. “There’s no way I could turn that down.”

With 27 weeks to go until the Games, Mitcham announced his retirement from diving on Thursday.

Stephen Fryis Matthew Mitcham’s idol.

While his retirement is a huge loss to Australian sport, Mitcham is keen to dip his toe into other endeavours — although it’s a media or entertainment gig that interests him the most.

“I’d love to work in TV, but saying that I don’t want to narrow it down to just TV, and if a radio gig or something else came up then I’d be equally excited to try that too,” the Balmain local said.

“Stephen Fry is my absolute idol, and if I could one day be the Australian Stephen Fry — that’d be a dream come true.”

An English comedian, Fry is a jack-of-all-trades, and is a well-known actor, writer, presenter, and activist.

Matthew Mitcham has had great success in cabaret works. Picture: John McRae

Mitcham loves being in front of the camera. Picture: John McRae

He is best known however for his roles in Blackadder and for his comic skits with Hugh Laurie.

“He’s done everything and he’s definitely an idol to me,” Mitcham said.

Mitcham’s life to date has been more than eventful, and his athletic career-defining moment came at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when he won gold in the men’s 10m platform.

But, having pulled the pin on diving, he is insistent that he wants to explore other avenues.

“I have so many interests outside of diving, I definitely don’t want to limit myself to working around just sports,” he said.

Matthew Mitcham will be missed around the pool. Picture Glenn Hampson

“An ideal role for me would be hosting or presenting — so I could talk to all sorts of athletes and other people from all walks of life.

“But I’m happy to give anything a go.”

Mitcham is already working on a cabaret show which he hopes will get off the ground later this year.

“I’m also working on a musical theatre production — but that’s a more long-term project,” he said.

SEE MITCHAM PERFORM

If you want to see Mitcham do his thing (not diving — his other thing) — head to Slide Lounge on February 11 for the Whitney Houston Cover Girl show. He will be singing two songs. Details are available at slide.com.au