The first series of Gladiators aired in the UK in Spring 2024 on BBC One, and is also available on video on demand platform BBC iPlayer. The series was filmed in June 2023 at Sheffield Arena in the city of Steel.
The show is presented by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney Walsh, with ex-premier league Mark Clattenburg, Sonia Mkoloma and Lee Phillips acting as the referees. The voiceover commentary is provided by sports commentator Guy Mowbray.
The premiere episode of the rebooted Gladiators attracted a total audience of 6 million viewers, and became the biggest entertainment launch of the network in seven years. The entire 11-part series averaged with nearly 10 million total viewers on BBC One, making it confirm its second series for the following year.
Gladiators
In May 2023, the following 16 elite athletes, such as professional bodybuilders or Olympic athletes were revealed as the cast of the rebooted series of Gladiators. Males Females Gladiator name Real name Stats Gladiator name Real name StatsApolloAlex Gray6 ft 6 in, 249 lb (1.98 m, 113 kg)AthenaKarenjeet Bains5 ft 4 in, 148 lb (1.63 m, 67 kg)BionicMatty Campbell6 ft 6 in, 260 lb (1.98 m, 120 kg)CometElla-Mae Rayner5 ft 8 in, 146 lb (1.73 m, 66 kg)GiantJamie Christian-Johal6 ft 5 in, 280 lb (1.96 m, 130 kg)DiamondLiv Sheldon6 ft 0 in, 176 lb (1.83 m, 80 kg)LegendMatt Morsia6 ft 1 in, 212 lb (1.85 m, 96 kg)DynamiteEmily Steel5 ft 5 in, 141 lb (1.65 m, 64 kg)NitroHarry Aikines-Aryeetey5 ft 11 in, 187 lb (1.80 m, 85 kg)ElectroJade Packer5 ft 8 in, 154 lb (1.73 m, 70 kg)PhantomToby Olubi6 ft 5 in, 247 lb (1.96 m, 112 kg)FireMontell Douglas5 ft 10 in, 148 lb (1.78 m, 67 kg)SteelZack George6 ft 0 in, 236 lb (1.83 m, 107 kg)FuryJodie Ounsley5 ft 7 in, 163 lb (1.70 m, 74 kg)ViperQuang Luong6 ft 0 in, 200 lb (1.83 m, 90 kg)SabreSheli McCoy5 ft 7 in, 154 lb (1.70 m, 70 kg) Notes
Contenders The colours red and blue used below denote the colours worn by the contender. The winning contenders are marked in bold. As the series consists of only five heats, and three quarter finals, in addition to the winners of the previous episodes, the fastest runner-ups advance to the next stage as wildcards (marked with WC).
Episodes Male Contenders Female Contenders Heat 1Myles HarrisFinley BurkittKerry WilsonTasha Lawrence (WC) Heat 2Jake SpenceJohn DarwenZoe McIntoshMarie-Louise Nicholson Heat 3Finlay AndersonAshley Harwood (WC)Alex McKnightBronte Jones Heat 4Matt JonesChung LeungSharan RiyatNia Rutter Heat 5Dev PankhaniaPaul CampbellTuathlaith MurtaghBetti Worth Quarter Final 1Finley Burkitt/Wesley MaléFinlay Anderson (WC)Tasha LawrenceBronte Jones Quarter Final 2Jake SpenceChung LeungMarie-Louise NicholsonNia Rutter Quarter Final 3Dev PankhaniaAshley HarwoodKerry WilsonBetti Worth (WC) Semi Final 1Dev Pankhania/Jake SpenceFinlay AndersonBetti WorthBronte Jones Semi Final 2Wesley MaleChung Leung/Matt JonesKerry WilsonMarie-Louise Nicholson Grand FinalWesley MaleFinlay AndersonMarie-Louise NicholsonBronte Jones WinnersFinlay AndersonMarie-Louise Nicholson
Notes
Events
The first rebooted series of Gladiators consisted from 8 preliminary events, from which 5 were played in each episode. The final obstacle course The Eliminator is played at the end of each episode.
The series saw the return of the following events, in order of appearance:
Duel, in which the contender and gladiator try to knock each other down from an elevated platform using a pugil stick. Gauntlet, in which the contender must bypass four gladiators in a gauntlet shaped obstacle course. Hang Tough, in which the contender and gladiator start from opposite platforms and must use gymnastics rings to travel through the air. Powerball, in which the contenders must score points by getting a ball to a basket while being attacked by three gladiators. The Wall, which is a climbing race of a thirty feet high vertical Wall; in which the contenders must reach the top without being pulled down.
In addition, three new games appear. In order of appearance:
Collision, in which the contenders must cross a suspension bridge, whilst four gladiators are swinging towards, trying to knock this off the bridge. The Ring, in which the contenders must reach a central button, whilst a gladiator tries to tackle this down. The Edge, which is a cat-and-mouse hunt above arena floor, where the contender must cross a grid platform as the gladiator chases this.
Episodes Note, that the episodes may not be filmed in the order of broadcast, e.g. the heat rounds may be in different order, or the second semi final was recorded before the first.
Contenders progress Color key: Series champions Series runners-up The contender won the episode and advanced The contender won the episode as a substitute for an injured contender The contender was medically withdrawn from the competition The contender lost the episode but was the fastest finisher out of the other eliminated contenders and thus qualified The contender lost the episode and was eliminated
Contenders EpisodesHeatsQuarter FinalsSemi FinalsFinal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Marie-Louise colspan="1" WIN colspan="4" WIN colspan="2" WINCHAMPION Finlay colspan="2" WIN colspan="2" FF colspan="2" WIN colspan="1" CHAMPION Bronte colspan="2" WIN colspan="2" WIN colspan="2" WIN colspan="1" RUNNER-UP Wesley colspan="5" WIN colspan="3" WINRUNNER-UP Matt colspan="3" OUT colspan="5" OUT colspan="2" KerryWIN colspan="6" WIN colspan="1" OUT colspan="2" Chung colspan="3" WIN colspan="2" WIN colspan="2" WDR colspan="2" Jake colspan="1" WIN colspan="4" OUT colspan="1" OUT colspan="2" Betti colspan="4" WIN colspan="2" FFOUT colspan="2" Dev colspan="4" WIN colspan="2" WINWDR colspan="2" Ash colspan="2" FF colspan="4" OUT colspan="3" Nia colspan="3" WIN colspan="2" OUT colspan="4" TashaFF colspan="4" OUT colspan="5" FinleyWIN colspan="4" WDR colspan="5" Paul colspan="4" OUT colspan="6" Tuathlaith colspan="4" OUT colspan="6" Sharan colspan="3" OUT colspan="7" Alex colspan="2" OUT colspan="8" John colspan="1" OUT colspan="9" Zoe colspan="1" OUT colspan="9" MylesOUT colspan="10"
Notes
Gladiator injuries Two of the female Gladiators were injured during the filming of the series. Comet (Ella-Mae Rayner) sustained several bone fractures in her legs in several places – including the talus – as well as sustaining a Lisfranc injury, three ruptured ligaments, and a dislocated bone, when competing in her speciality event Hang Tough in aired Heat 4. Sabre (Sheli McCoy) also injured her hamstring as a result of her attempt to push contender Bronte off The Edge in Semi-Final 1. Owing to these incidents both of the Gladiators had to go on hiatus for the remainder of the series. Male Gladiator Bionic (Matty Campbell) also made fewer appearances during the season due to minor shoulder- and leg injury.
Controversy In January 2024, upon the series premiere, the BBC discovered past use of anabolic steroids by Gladiator Giant (Jamie Christian-Johal) from a 2022 YouTube video, which the video has since been deleted. The Gladiator himself stated that he has not been in contact with any kind of "performance enhancing drug" since his professional career ended. The BBC also stated that upon the casting for the Gladiators and contenders, they had to complete multiple tests in case of any prohibited steroid-use; the tests were negative for all of the Gladiators. Consequently, it was reported that Giant would still return for the second series of the show.
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