Gladiator Legend's life off screen from PE teacher to YouTube sensation

20 January 2024 , 17:30

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Legend describes himself as a "cross between Gandhi and David Hasselhoff" (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The revamp of Gladiators is in full swing, with last Saturday's opening episode of the telly contest attracting 6.4 million viewers. Alongside new hosts, father and son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh, are 16 powerhouses who make up the new team of Gladiators contenders have to beat, including Legend.

Matt Morsia was working as a PE teacher in 2017 when he decided to drop a day to focus on his YouTube channel. Married to Sarah, with two sons, Luca and Mauro, it was a risky move but the influencer went onto attract more than two million subscribers on the video website.

Matt now earns more in a month than he did in a year's teaching. He has launched a successful energy drink and fitness app and Sarah quit her own teaching job to manage his channel.

Matt is married to Sarah, with two sons (mattdoesfitness/Instagram)

The former teacher built up a huge online following

The next career move for Matt, 37, is a stint as Legend on Gladiators and it's fair to say he's ready. "I was born for this," he said. "Every single game I do I will win. And I won’t just win it – I’ll do it in an extremely entertaining, dominating fashion.”

The 6ft 2ins tall fitness expert, who describes himself as a "a cross between Gandhi and David Hasselhoff’ on the show, even had a poster of original Gladiators bad boy Wolf on his wall growing up. “Being a Gladiator is amazing - it means so much to me," he said.

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As a youngster, Matt was a talented triple jumper who set his eye on the London Olympics in 2012 but he suffered a stress fracture in his spine in the run-up. He discovered a passion for weightlifting when he rehabilitated himself in the gym and became a powerlifter, winning a silver medal in the European Championships in 2016.

Legend with teammates Fury and Viper (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Matt also began making videos online showing his workouts, going onto post popular eating challenges which saw him consume a staggering 25,000 calories in 24 hours. The feat - not to be advised at home - was watched by 5.8 million people and with his online popularity growing, the former athlete decided to step back from his teaching day job.

“It was the best decision I ever made,” he said. “My content was a million times better, being able to travel and have time away.” A Legend was born.

Watch Gladiators on Saturdays at 5.50pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Vikki White