18 February 2024 , 13:07
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The reboot of The Gladiators on the BBC has not only proved to be a huge hit with viewers, it has helped bolster the coffers of Holly Willoughby and her husband Dan Baldwin.
Dan, 48, is the one of the executive producers of the Saturday night show, but has found another way to profit from the hit. The talent agency he launched has profited from signing up almost all of the new Gladiators, who are proving to be among the hottest stars on TV at the moment, with over eight million viewers tuning in each week.
Out of the 16 new Gladiators, 12 of them signed to Dan's agency, Hungry Bear Talent, which means he gets a cut of any future earnings, as their fame and popularity continues to grow following some explosive performances on the BBC show. Among those signed with Dan are Alex Gray, known as Apollo, Emily Steele, who is Dynamite, Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who is Nitro, and Jamie Christian Johal, known as Giant due to his 6ft 5in frame.
Dan Baldwin and Holly Willoughby are cashing in on the BBC Gladiators reboot (Getty Images Europe)
Holly Willoughby and Dan Baldwin have enjoyed a fantastic relationship since they met two decades ago (@hollywilloughby/Instagram)A television insider has praised Dan's "clever" decision to set up the agency and they told The Mail on Sunday: "Dan made the reboot with his company, sold it to the BBC for a lot of money and now he has shrewdly signed up some of its most popular young stars..Whatever they make now, he will get extra money via the management company.
Dan founded Hungry Bear Media in 2014, and in the past decade has grown to become one of the most successful production companies in the UK. His company is also responsible for BBC entertainment show, Michael McIntyre's Big Show and ITV's Breaking Dad, which features Gladiators hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh.
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Dan counts BBC's chief content officer Charlotte Moore among his close friends and he has been seen out with her alongside his wife Holly. He started his TV career in the early 2000s with children's ITV show Ministry Of Mayhem, which was presented by Holly, before moving onto some of the biggest shows on TV and becoming one of the most sought after producers.
Dan Baldwin snapped up many of the Gladiators cast to sign to his talent agency (BBC / Guy Levy)Holly and Daniel tied the knot in a West Sussex church in 2007 after three years of dating. Speaking about how she "keeps the spark alive", the mum-of-three explained that she always aims to "carve out real time" for her husband, whether that's talking over dinner or "date nights."
Writing in her Wylde Moon newsletter last summer, Holly shared: "August happens to be the month I got married, so it's always a nostalgic time for Dan and I. It will be 16 years this year, which feels crazy in so many ways. I often think about us and the glue that binds us together. Every relationship is so unique and different; what works for one couple may not for another.
"Mine would have to be remembering to carve out real time for each other within the madness of everyday life; everything from making time to talk over dinner at home to date nights. Whatever you do to keep the spark alive, keep it up!"