12 August 2026
Eight-end Encore: Muirhead and Drummond return for Mixed Doubles
Eve Muirhead’s return feels like the curling equivalent of The Beatles singing on the rooftop.
A teenage prodigy who had a career spanning 15 years, the Scot would win three world women’s medals including gold in 2013, three European titles and eventually, the Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2022.
Long referred by the media as the “Ice Queen” — later the title of her autobiography — a rare tear painted her face as she stood at the top of the podium for the first time at her fourth Olympics.
Her retirement at 32 was much earlier than some of the greats of the game, but unsurprising knowing she had reached the pinnacle of the sport.
Yet last week, Muirhead’s image dominated social media, with a surprise announcement that was again, left field. After a four-year hiatus, she was back. However, it came with the caveat that a Fab Four was not on the cards. Instead, more of a duet.
Now 36, she is committing to a full cycle through to the French Alps 2030 Olympic Winter Games, where she will be reunited with Bobby Lammie, with whom she won the 2022 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship just months before hanging up her broom.
The pair are undefeated as a duo on the international stage, but came up short nationally to respective teammates Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds, who won the 2021 world title and have twice finished fourth at the Olympics.
An opportunity to add to her collection is what has brought her back to the programme.
“British Curling have been amazing and really great having me back,” said Muirhead, with a smile, “They asked if I would consider just doing mixed doubles and I didn’t have that opportunity after Beijing.
“It was something I wanted to do, I actually never thought I would get the chance just to do mixed doubles.
“What I wanted to accomplish was World Champs, Olympic gold and I’ve done that for the team.
“World Champs, I have that [gold] for mixed doubles, but I don’t have that Olympic badge yet.”
Those goals are consistent with when she was last on the ice. Part of her decision to retire was down to her wish to focus solely on mixed doubles for the next Olympic cycle, feeling she had achieved what she wanted to in four-person competition. At the time British Curling were not interested in this proposal.
“I knew retiring was the right thing to do at the time, I needed the break,” she added.
That cycle saw Team Muirhead fragment as the rink’s third Vicky Drummond (then Wright) and alternate Mili Smith also call time on their careers.
“I always knew I was stopping regardless, in 2022,” said Drummond, “I’d already made my mind up.”
But much like the now-Manchester-based Muirhead, that retirement was short-lived, and she will also compete in the mixed doubles discipline.
She paints a picture of a difficult final season that culminated with the Olympic title, admitting that the 2021–2022 season was “really tough” and “team dynamics all went to pot”, before rebuilding their bond in time for the trip to China. Having to compete with eight other women for a place on the Olympic squad added a mental toll too.
After marrying Greg Drummond, who became head coach of British Curling in 2023, she gave birth to their daughter Sophie. At the time it further cemented that a return was “not really an option” after seeing no Scottish women continue their career as mothers.
During her four-year hiatus, Drummond has most recently enjoyed being part of the BBC coverage for Milano Cortina 2026, lending her expertise as a commentator. She admitted she has missed the sport for the past couple of years between coaching a young female team and watching her former teammates in action during the recent Winter Games.
“Out at the Olympics and watching Team Mouat and Team Morrison out there going for it, you miss the passion,” she said, “Just being there, I was like, ‘I can do this again’.”
Chats between husband and wife naturally occurred about returns but without serious contemplation. The two former teammates would even talk about it when they would host each other. Eventually, Vicky would tell Eve she was thinking about making a comeback, only to be met with a reply of, “It’s funny, I’m having a similar conversation”.
“It came about catching up as friends and you talk about all the good times and then before you know it, here we are,” added Drummond.
Muirhead’s goal is clear: the Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles has alluded her, but there is a gauntlet of talent to defeat.
She and Lammie are the most-decorated pair in the programme, but face strong opposition from several teams including from Dodds who is now partnered with Orrin Carson after Mouat’s decision to focus on his men’s team. Meanwhile, Drummond has swapped Grant Hardie for the familiar Euan Kyle, who hails from the same town as her, Stranraer.
Drummond and Kyle’s parents live around the corner from each and as children, they attended the same primary school and curling club. She points out his qualities as a teammate and his ability to help his mixed doubles partners shine.
“They’ve always played better than what you expect them to be because Euan just literally makes them feel a million dollars.
“So far, we’ve had an absolute ball. I’ve laughed so much. He’s such a fun teammate and he wants to win and I want to win.
“[As children] We used to pick him up at night and we used to not give him Irn-Bru or Smarties because he gets so hyper on Irn-Bru as a kid. That was a no-go.”
As for the former skip, she said she was excited to see her friend back on the ice with her.
“I’m delighted Vicky’s coming back,” Muirhead said, “It’s amazing being alongside her again on the ice.
“Off the ice, of course, we’re great pals, but when it comes to on the ice, of course, both of us want to win.
“They have definitely put an extra focus on the programme on mixed doubles. I think they’ve maybe recognised they maybe didn’t put as much focus as what could have been in the past.
“Of course, success to me is standing on the podium, but I know what it takes to get there.”
But retirement has been less slippers and a nice cup of tea. It has been filled with writing a book, starting a curling academy, commentating, coaching, being a general manager for the newly-formed Rock League and most of all, as the Chef de Mission for Team GB at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, overseeing the country’s best-ever Winter Games medal tally.
“I feel like within that time I’ve explored a lot of different opportunities and avenues, but what’s been really great is I’ve learned a lot about myself,” she added, “I was challenged in a lot of different ways, put in a lot of pretty uncomfortable positions at times making decisions on the spot.
“From being on the other side of the fence, I have a whole new respect for what they do for us athletes.
“I guess that shows that I was maybe a little bit selfish as an athlete, that I didn’t respect what went on behind the scenes for me and for my journey.
“All of that has re-energised me, given me that competitive edge back which I feel is probably more than ever within curling.”
For Drummond, it is a win-win situation, regardless of result.
“A part of me really wants to go again to another Olympics and achieve another medal,” said Drummond, “Soph’s two now, she’d be six at that point if I was to go to the French Alps.
“She’ll start to remember that and I want to show her that you can do anything, like you can achieve your dreams and your ambitions don’t have to stop just because you’re a mum.
“When I’ve spoken to British Curling about it, there’s definitely been a culture change and a shift in that. They really want to promote it and make it work.
“So part of me wants to prove that you can. It might not work, but it’s a learning curve for you guys as well.
“I’m going back into it. I’ve already got a gold medal. I don’t need another one.
“If I was able to go through this process and I’ve paved a way for other athletes to feel like they could be a mum in the programme that would be the lasting legacy I want to leave behind.”
Even more impressively, Drummond will continue working twice a week in the National Health Service as a nurse on 12-hour shifts while raising her child and trying to make the Olympic team.
There is a comfort in both Muirhead and Drummond that when this cycle is over, their lives will remain full without the sport. Whenever that second retirement comes, there will be plenty to do to fill that void.
But that is not something to concern themselves with for another four years. There’s more pressing issues at hand.
“The mixed doubles programme in Scotland right now, it’s through the roof, said Muirhead, “I’ve got a lot to do to prove, and me and Bobby have to work hard to make us the best mixed doubles pair.
“But for me, success is going to be building towards 2030, knowing that performance has increased year by year.
“And then hopefully look back on a few years that I can be proud that I did come back and let’s hope back stronger as well.
“No pressure, Eve, but you are stepping in there when it’s at a very high level.”
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