TV's new Gladiators fulfill childhood dreams by landing a part in revived show

19 May 2023 , 20:47

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A young Livi Sheldon already had her eye on Gladiators

Here are the latest additions to the revival of TV’s Gladiators, and it looks like these two have been in training since childhood.

Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and bodybuilder Livi Sheldon have joined the BBC show, to be filmed in Sheffield next month.

A picture of Harry as a boy shows him flexing his muscles on his tiny body. And 6ft Livi is shown as a child taking part in a Gladiators-style contest with pugil sticks.

Harry, 34, who will be called Nitro on the show, has won gold at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He said: “Becoming a Gladiator is a childhood dream come true.”

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Olympic star Harry will be Nitro (PA)

Bodybuilder Livi Sheldon is Diamond (PA)

Livi, who will be Diamond, was a finalist in a British bodybuilding competition. She said: “I can’t wait to get into the arena.”

Other Gladiators include Team GB sprinter Montell Douglas, fitness influencer Matt Morsia and bodybuilder Jamie Christian-Johal.

They will face a variety of games and challenges.

Harry as a child

The Chase’s Bradley Walsh and his son Barney are to present the show.

It originally ran from 1992 to 2000, with a revival series launched in 2008 and 2009.

Tom Bryant