All you need to know about BBC's Gladiators reboot as show returns with new host
The BBC's reboot of the iconic '90s gameshow Gladiators will make its debut on Saturday.
Gladiators originally ran from 1992 for eight seasons until ITV scrapped the series in 2000. The series was hosted by Ulrika Johnson, who was joined by John Fashanu and later by Jeremy Guscott.
Gladiators was later revived by Sky in 2008 with Ian Wright and Kirsty Gallacher as hosts before the latter was replaced by Caroline Flack for the second season. The series was subsequently cancelled by the broadcaster.
BBC's reboot of the classic series will see a fresh line-up of Lycra-clad warriors take on brave members of the public, with filming having taken place last year at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield. Here's everything you need to know about the series...
Hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh alongside the Gladiators (BBC / Nick Eagle / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd)Who are the hosts?
Father-and-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh will be presenting the BBC's reboot of the classic gameshow. This will be the pairs first presenting gig together after the success of their ITV series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad.
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Explaining why he wanted to sign up to Gladiators, Bradley said: "My wife, Donna, was involved in the original series running the cheerleading G Force and was an associate producer on the show so I used to visit her and watch the show being made and when my son, Barney was born it was still on air, so we used to take him to watch the show. I took part in Gladiators as a celebrity years ago in 1997, I wasn’t really a celebrity back then as I only had a few jobs under my belt and think I had to fill in for someone.
"It was a family affair for us and so when the team at Hungry Bear spoke to us and said they were looking for a family appeal to the show and asked if we would we like to host it, and we jumped at the chance."
Barney aded: "We had a ton of funny moments [during filming] it's great working with Dad, because when we're together we just have a laugh. We're mates first and foremost so we just we just have fun with it and are always cracking jokes."
Overseeing the action will be ex Premier League Football referee, Mark Clattenburg, who will be assisted by Sonia Mkoloma and Lee Phillips. Football commentator Guy Mowbray will provide the voiceover commentary on all the action.
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Emily 'Dynamite' Steel, the youngest Gladiator in the current line-up (BBC Pictures)Who are the Gladiators?
BBC viewers will meet a whole new bunch of Gladiators ready to go up against hopeful members of the British public. The new Gladiators include former Team GB sprinter and Olympic bobsledder Montell 'Fire' Douglas who held the British woman's record for fastest 100m sprint at 11.05 seconds.
Matt 'Legend' Morisa is a former Championship bronze medal-winning long and triple jumper and silver medal-winning powerlifter while Livi 'Diamond' Sheldon is a bodybuilder who previously played football for Worcester City Women. Other contestants include former Team GB sprinter and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year winner Harry 'Nitro' Aikines-Aryeetey and the show's first deaf Gladiator Jodie 'Fury' Ounsley.
Other contestants include Jamie Christian Johal - who will be known as Giant - who made history by becoming one of the all-time tallest bodybuilders at a whopping 6ft 5in, CrossFit champion Zack 'Steel' George and bodybuilder Matty 'Bionic' Campbell.
Former sprinter Jade 'Electro' Packer , Olympic bobsledder Toby 'Phantom' Olubi and fitness model Quang 'Viper' Luong, who previously appeared in a James Bond film, will also compete alongside the first Sikh gladiator powerlifter Karenjeet 'Athena' Kaur Bains.
Ella-Mae 'Comet' Rayner, a former elite gymnast, Emily 'Dynamite' Steel, the youngest Gladiator in the current line-up, Dundee gym owner Sheli 'Sabre' McCoy and former NFL star Alex 'Apollo' Gray complete the cast.
When does it start?
Gladiators begins on BBC One on Saturday, 13 January at 5.50pm. The reboot will feature 11 60-minute long episodes.
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However, those hoping to see Gladiators return to TV screens full time may be disappointed. The Chase host previously stated that he had only agreed to present the reboot as a "one-off".
He said: "[Barney and I] said we'd do this show as it's a one-off." But, if the reboot proves to be a huge hit with viewers, the TV stalwart may change his mind.
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