After stepping back from competition following her 2022 Beijing gold medal triumph, Muirhead spent four years away from curling whilst managing mental health challenges stemming from her lengthy pursuit of Olympic success. Serving as Team GB's ceremonial leader at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games reignited her passion, prompting her to resume competitive sport with Bobby Lammie in the mixed doubles format, with the 2030 Alpine Olympics as their target.

Muirhead's comeback is mirrored by a former teammate, Vicky Drummond, who is also returning to competition but will partner with a different player, creating an intriguing rivalry. Drummond, an intensive care nurse, has framed her return as demonstrating to her young daughter that parenthood does not preclude pursuing ambitious competitive goals.