| Gladiators | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by |
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| Presented by | |
| Starring |
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| Voices of | Guy Mowbray |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 23 (including 1 Celebrity Special)(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production locations | Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) – present |
| Related | |
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Gladiators is aBritish television series which began airing onBBC One andBBC iPlayer on 13 January 2024. It is the second revival of the original1992Gladiators series onITV, after the2008 series onSky One. The series is produced byHungry Bear Media andMGM Alternative UK.
The series is presented byBradley Walsh and his son,Barney.[1] Each episode consists of four players, known as 'contenders' – two male and two female – competing in a series of physically challenging events against the show's resident 'Gladiators', a group of elite athletes – such asbodybuilders ortrack and field athletes – and eventually competing in one contenders-only final event, the Eliminator. The series has introduced a total of 18 new Gladiators.[2] The series consists of the heats, the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and a grand final, to determine the overall champions. It isrefereed byMark Clattenburg, assisted bySonia Mkoloma and Lee Phillips, with voice-over commentary provided byGuy Mowbray.
Upon its release, the revived series ofGladiators became one of the most successful family entertainment launches for theBBC in seven years, attracting more than six million viewers during its premiere episode, and scoring nearly nine million during the whole first series.[3] The BBC subsequently commissionedGladiators: Epic Pranks, a spin-off children's prank series forCBBC. The fifteen-episode series, filmed behind the scenes of the main programme, and hosted by Gladiator Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey), started airing in February 2025.[4] During the broadcast of the shows second series, BBC again renewed the show for a third series, with filming expected to take place in summer 2025 with a broadcast in January 2026.[5]
Alongside the commissioning of a second series, which began airing in January 2025, A "one-off" Celebrity Special, which was filmed alongside the second series, was aired on New Year's Day 2025 on BBC One; the episode featuredRob Beckett,Joel Dommett,Ellie Taylor andLouise Minchin as the contenders taking on the Gladiators.[6] In March 2025, during theRed Nose Day 2025, a comedy scetch ofGladiators was seen, in which comedianChabuddy G took on gladiator Bionic (Matty Campbell) in Duel.[7]
In April 2025, it was announced thatGladiators was to embark on a newlive arena tour across the cities of the UK, includingLiverpool,Manchester,London andGlasgow, in November and December 2025. During the tour, the super fans of the programme can meet the Gladiators live, and witness live action on the arena floor, as the Gladiators face some of returning contenders from the two first series of the reboot.[8]
Theoriginal LWT series ofGladiators aired between 1992 and 2000 onITV[9] and its first revival aired onSky One in 2008 and 2009.[10] In July 2022, it was reported that theBBC were in talks withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who hold the rights to the original format, to relaunch the show onBBC One.[9] The BBC later announced that the revival, produced byHungry Bear Media andMGM Television, would air in 2023.[11]
The casting for the new contenders took place acrossEngland,[12][13]Scotland,[14]Wales andNorthern Ireland[15] in April 2023. The following month it was announced thatBradley Walsh would co-host the revived series alongside his sonBarney.[1] Donna Walsh, Barney's mother and Bradley's wife, was head choreographer for the "G Force" troupe of cheerleaders on the 1992 series. Bradley also has previous connections to the show, having taken part in a "Celebrities vs Jockeys" special episode of the programme in 1997.[1]
Filming of the programme took place at theSheffield Arena, which previously hosted the 1995 live shows for the original ITV series, in June 2023.[16] Tickets to attend filming of the series were free. Applause Store, the company who oversaw ticket distribution, stated that there was an "unprecedented demand" for tickets and the venue reached its 3,000 capacity earlier than anticipated, which led to ticketholders being denied entry.[17] In a statement, Applause Store said that entrance would be on a "first-come first-served" basis dependent on capacity, and that there was no guarantee of admission to the venue.[17]
Gladiators Giant (Jamie Christian-Johal), Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey), Fury (Jodie Ounsley) and Fire (Montell Douglas) made an appearance during theStrictly Come Dancing finale in mid-December 2023, where Fire stated that the programme would premiere in January 2024.[18] On the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing, Fire was then a contestant on the show with her dance partnerJohannes Radebe and finished in 6th place. In the Christmas special of said year, Nitro was a competitor and he got partnered withNancy Xu, straight after that he ended up being a contestant in the next series, being partnered withKaren Hauer and finished in 9th place.
The first official trailer of the show was released on 25 December 2023,[19] showing both new and classic events.[20] On 3 January 2024, the BBC announced that the series would premiere on 13 January at 5.50 pm onBBC One andBBC iPlayer.[21] The revival ofGladiators attracted an audience of 6 million viewers, becoming the biggest entertainment launch for theBBC in seven years.[3] Owing to the ratings success, BBC bosses announced that they had been planning for the next series, which was filmed in August 2024 at the Sheffield Arena, and airing in January 2025.[22] According to a BBC boss, there would be some adjustments to the flow of the game, and some new events for the second series, but all of the Gladiators from the first series were set to return.[23] The casting for the contenders of the second series closed in June 2024.[24]
The format ofGladiators follows that of the previous series, where two men and two women compete against the Gladiators before taking on each other onthe Eliminator obstacle course.[10] The series follows a knock-out tournament format of preliminary heats leading to finals.[25]
The first revived series ofGladiators saw the return of the following events:Hang Tough,The Wall,Powerball,Duel,[26] andGauntlet.[27]
Brand-new events in the revived series have included namelyCollision,The Edge,The Ring andUnleash.[20][28][29]
The second series, airing in 2025, saw the return ofAtlaspheres from the1990s version reintroduced to the roster of events, and its new "sister-event", namedCrash Course.[29][23][30]
The revamped series ofGladiators is hosted by father-son duoBradley andBarney Walsh.[1]
Throughout May 2023, the 16-strong roster of Gladiators were announced onMorning Live andThe One Show, among other media outlets. Profiles were also released on the BBC Media Centre website.[31]
In January 2025, theBBC announced the addition of 2 new Gladiators ahead of its second series.Lystus Ebosele andTom Wilson portray Cyclone and Hammer respectively.[32][33][34]
Male Gladiators | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alias | Name | Tenure | Age | Statistics | Background |
1– | 34 | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | Formerrugby union andNFL player | ||
1– | 30 | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | Bodybuilder and formersprinter andfootballer | ||
1– | 40 | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | Bodybuilder and formerfirefighter | ||
2– | 33 | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | Nationalrowing champion andpersonal trainer | ||
1– | 39 | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | Bodybuilder,powerlifter, and formerlong andtriple jumper | ||
1–[a] | 37 | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | World andCommonwealthsprinting champion | ||
1– | 38 | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | |||
1– | 35 | 6 ft (183 cm) | CrossFit athlete | ||
1– | 36 | 6 ft (183 cm) | Bodybuilder andboxer | ||
Female Gladiators | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alias | Name | Tenure | Age | Statistics | Background |
1– | 29 | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | Three-timeCommonwealthpowerlifting champion | ||
1– | 30 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | Formergymnast,diver, andcheerleader | ||
2– | 24 | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | Irishpowerlifting champion | ||
1– | 31 | 6 ft (183 cm) | Bodybuilder and formerfootballer | ||
1– | 22 | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) | CrossFit athlete,weightlifter, and formerswimmer | ||
1– | 27 | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | Hybrid-athlete, and formerbodybuilder andsprinter | ||
1– | 39 | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | Commonwealthsprint relay champion and formerbobsledder | ||
1– | 24 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Formerrugby union player and coal carrying champion | ||
1– | 37 | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Scottishweightlifting andCrossFit champion | ||
Referees | ||
|---|---|---|
Name | Tenure | Background |
1– | Clattenburg adjudicated the2012 Men's Olympic football final, and the2016 Champions League andEuropean Championship finals. | |
1– | Mkoloma is a former English international netball player. She competed at fiveNetball World Cups and threeCommonwealth Games. Mkoloma made 123 international test appearances. | |
Lee Phillips[60] | 1– | Phillips is a fitness professional,firefighter, and athlete. He competed in the World Police and Firefighter Games, winning the Ultimate Firefighter andCrossFit competitions. |
Commentator | ||
|---|---|---|
Name | Tenure | Background |
1– | Mowbray is a football commentator. He has provided voiceovers for theEA FC video game,The Africa Cup of Nations, theUEFA European Championships, theEmirates FA Cup, and thePremier League. | |
Two of the female Gladiators were injured during the filming of thefirst series. Comet (Ella-Mae Rayner) sustained severalbone fractures in her legs in several places – including thetalus – as well as sustaining aLisfranc injury, three rupturedligaments, and adislocated bone, when competing in her speciality event Hang Tough in Heat 4. Sabre (Sheli McCoy) also injured herhamstring 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.[62][63]
During the training sessions for thesecond series, Gladiator Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey) picked up anknee injury, and was, therefore, forced to step out of competing in the events for the series. He was still seen in the programme, "hyping up" his fellow Gladiators and bringing the "Nitro energy" to the arena.[64][65][66] During filming of the second series, Giant (Jamie Christian-Johal) also suffered a severe injury, as he tore hisbiceps during Powerball in Heat 5. Due to this, he was also sidelined for the rest of the series, but still appears on the locker room segment from the Celebrity Special onwards.[67][68] Although not seen explicitly, both Bionic (Matty Campbell) and Steel (Zack George) also suffered injuries competing in Gauntlet and Duel respectively, during Semi-Finals stage, owing to both's absence from the events of the Grand Final.[69]
Thethird series has seen the most amount of Gladiator injuries to the date. Legend (Matt Morsia) suffered abiceptear off the bone while competing in the events,[70] and Diamond (Livi Sheldon) suffered a majorACL ligament tear,[71] sidelining her for the rest of the series. Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) and Bionic (Matty Campbell) received arm and/or leg injuries respectively, forcing them to withdraw from the remainder of the season as well.[71]
In January 2024, theBBC discovered past use ofsteroids by Gladiator Giant (Jamie Christian-Johal) from a 2022YouTube video. The video has since been deleted, and 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.[72] Consequently, it was reported that Giant would return for the second series of the show.[73]
| Series | Episodes | Originally released | Series Champions | Runners-Up | Average viewers (millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||||
| 1 | 11 | 13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) | 30 March 2024 (2024-03-30) | Marie-Louise Nicholson & Finlay Anderson | Bronte Jones & Wesley Male | 6.02 | |
| 2 | 11 | 18 January 2025 (2025-01-18) | 12 April 2025 (2025-04-12) | Amanda Wah & Joe Fishburn | Aneila Afsar & Mustapha Dumbuya | 4.23 | |
| 3 | 11 | January 2026 (2026-01) | 2026 (2026) | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
| Series | Episodes | Originally released | Champions | Runners-Up | Viewers (millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01) | 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01) | Ellie Taylor &Joel Dommett | Louise Minchin &Rob Beckett | 5.15 | |
| 2026 | 1 | 2026 (2026) | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
| Series | Episodes | Originally released | Network | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||
| Epic Pranks I | 15 | 15 February 2025 (2025-02-15) | 13 March 2025 (2025-03-13) | CBBC | |
| Epic Pranks II | 20 | 2026 (2026) | 2026 (2026) | CBBC | |
The first series premiered on 13 January 2024, and ran through the first quarter of the year.[21][74] It featured eleven 60-minute long episodes.[75]
The series became a ratings success on theBBC network, with the series averaging 6.02 million viewers,[3] and constantly ranking in the Top 10 weekly most viewed shows on the channel.[76]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | BBC One airdate | UK viewers (millions) [76] | Weekly Rank (BBC1) [76] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Heat A[b]" | 13 January 2024 (2024-01-13) | 8.36 | 1st |
| 2 | 2 | "Heat B" | 20 January 2024 (2024-01-20) | 7.01 | 4th |
| 3 | 3 | "Heat C" | 27 January 2024 (2024-01-27) | 6.48 | 5th |
| 4 | 4 | "Heat D" | 3 February 2024 (2024-02-03) | 6.58 | 3rd |
| 5 | 5 | "Heat E" | 10 February 2024 (2024-02-10) | 5.83 | 8th |
| 6 | 6 | "Quarter Final A" | 17 February 2024 (2024-02-17) | 5.89 | 7th |
| 7 | 7 | "Quarter Final B" | 24 February 2024 (2024-02-24) | 5.48 | 6th |
| 8 | 8 | "Quarter Final C" | 2 March 2024 (2024-03-02) | 5.41 | 5th |
| 9 | 9 | "Semi Final A" | 9 March 2024 (2024-03-09) | 4.55 | 6th |
| 10 | 10 | "Semi Final B" | 23 March 2024 (2024-03-23) | 5.27 | 4th |
| 11 | 11 | "Grand Final" | 30 March 2024 (2024-03-30) | 5.39 | 3rd |
The second, 11-part series was commissioned by the BBC, following the ratings success of the first series.[77] The series was filmed in August 2024 at the Sheffield Arena, and began airing in January 2025.[3][22][78] The series started with a "one-off" celebrity special,[79] which was aired onNew Year's Day 2025.[80][67]
The series averaged with roughly 5 million viewers,[76] enough for the show to be commissioned for its third series.
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | BBC One airdate | UK viewers (millions) [76] | Weekly Rank (BBC1) [76] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | "Celebrity Special" | 1 January 2025 (2025-01-01) | 5.15 | 8th | |
Competing in the New Year's "one-off" Celebrity Special edition are TV presenterLouise Minchin and comediansRob Beckett,Joel Dommett andEllie Taylor.[6][81][80][67] | ||||||
| 12 | 1 | "Heat A" | 18 January 2025 (2025-01-18) | 4.76 | 8th | |
| 13 | 2 | "Heat B" | 25 January 2025 (2025-01-25) | 4.27 | 12th | |
| 14 | 3 | "Heat C" | 1 February 2025 (2025-02-01) | 4.48 | 8th | |
| 15 | 4 | "Heat D" | 15 February 2025 (2025-02-15) | 4.42 | 4th | |
| 16 | 5 | "Heat E" | 22 February 2025 (2025-02-22) | 4.23 | 10th | |
| 17 | 6 | "Quarter Final A" | 1 March 2025 (2025-03-01) | 4.31 | 5th | |
| 18 | 7 | "Quarter Final B" | 8 March 2025 (2025-03-08) | 3.74 | 11th | |
| 19 | 8 | "Quarter Final C" | 15 March 2025 (2025-03-15) | 4.60 | 3rd | |
| 20 | 9 | "Semi Final A" | 22 March 2025 (2025-03-22) | 3.39 | 12th | |
| 21 | 10 | "Semi Final B" | 5 April 2025 (2025-04-05) | 3.50 | 9th | |
| 22 | 11 | "Grand Final" | 12 April 2025 (2025-04-12) | 3.95 | 4th | |
The BBC commissioned a 15-episodespin-off series, aimed at children, on theCBBC channel, which aired from February 2025.
The series features the "Secret Prankster" – Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey) – with his fellow Gladiators competing against each other in a set of games and competitions, as well as a lookbehind the scenes to theirlocker rooms and rest of the arena.[4][82][83]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | CBBC airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Dynamite!" | 15 February 2025 (2025-02-15) | |
The spin-off series, hosted by Gladiator Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey), begins. Nitro and Apollo prank Dynamite turning her into a singing banana. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Fire!" | 18 February 2025 (2025-02-18) | |
For the second episode, Gladiators Nitro and Phantom prank Fire at a kids' birthday party. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "Giant!" | 17 February 2025 (2025-02-17) | |
Giant is pranked by Nitro when he appears as a guest of honour at a fake school award ceremony. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Apollo!" | 18 February 2025 (2025-02-18) | |
Nitro pranks Apollo with fake influencer Aubry Devonne Keep, causing a big splash! The letters in his name when rearranged spell out “You’ve been pranked”. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Steel!" | 19 February 2025 (2025-02-19) | |
Nitro and Sabre prank Steel at a fake Halloween photoshoot with a huge spider costume, bats and a surprising ghost. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Cyclone!" | 24 February 2025 (2025-02-24) | |
Nitro and Fury prank Cyclone, who thinks she is filming an animal-themed exercise video dressed as a turtle. | ||||
| 7 | 7 | "Diamond!" | 25 February 2025 (2025-02-25) | |
Nitro pranks Diamond when the guest on a live TV show cannot stop pumping! | ||||
| 8 | 8 | "Apollo Again!" | 26 February 2025 (2025-02-26) | |
Nitro pranks Apollo again - this time he thinks he is filming for a Gladiator video game set in ancient Greece. | ||||
| 9 | 9 | "Viper!" | 3 March 2025 (2025-03-03) | |
Nitro pranks Viper with a fake interview that ends with an unexpected splashdown, but he does not find it funny! | ||||
| 10 | 10 | "Hammer!" | 4 March 2025 (2025-03-04) | |
Nitro pranks Hammer with a hysterical, historical Gladiator mix-up in a magazine interview. | ||||
| 11 | 11 | "Bionic!" | 5 March 2025 (2025-03-05) | |
Bionic ends up dressed as a rabbit when Nitro pranks him at a fake photoshoot. | ||||
| 12 | 12 | "Electro!" | 10 March 2025 (2025-03-10) | |
Nitro pranks Electro at a fake fashion photoshoot when her fabulous, precious dress is ruined. | ||||
| 13 | 13 | "Comet!" | 11 March 2025 (2025-03-11) | |
Nitro and Diamond prank Comet at a fake Christmas calendar photoshoot. | ||||
| 14 | 14 | "Athena!" | 12 March 2025 (2025-03-12) | |
Nitro and Bionic prank Athena as a massive broccoli at a fake healthy eating film shoot. | ||||
| 15 | 15 | "Phantom!" | 13 March 2025 (2025-03-13) | |
Phantom is pranked by Nitro and Steel when he believes he is in a new Gladiators video game. | ||||
| S1 | S1 | "Children In Need Special" | 14 November 2025 (2025-11-14) | |
Nitro goes undercover for a specialChildren In Need prank on Apollo and recruits Sabre,Alfie Watts and Pudsey to help. | ||||
The third series was commissioned by theBBC to be produced in summer of 2025, to be aired from January 2026.[5]
The series is also set to have another Celebrity Special episode, to be produced alongside the main series.[84]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | BBC One airdate | UK viewers (millions) | Weekly Rank (BBC1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | "Celebrity Special" | TBA | TBD | TBA | |
Competing in the Celebrity Special edition are fitness coachJoe Wicks, TV personalitySam Thompson, presenter and media personalityVogue Williams and former Olympic boxerNicola Adams.[85] | ||||||
On 24 July 2025, BBC recommissioned the successful spin-off for a second series, which is set to feature 20 more episodes in the lead of Prankster Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey).[86]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | CBBC airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1 | TBA | 2026 (2026) |
The series received positive reviews, withThe Guardian describing it as a "phenomenal reboot" of its original show.[25] In a highly positive thinkpiece,The Independent praised the show's updated sensibilities, writing: "The entire show is a testament to the fact that we can still enjoy those things from our youth, and that 'updating them for a modern audience' doesn't mean ripping out the heart of what made them appealing in the first place."[87] On hisThe Rest Is Entertainment podcast,Richard Osman praised the casting and described the series debut as a "smash hit".[88]
Ulrika Jonsson, who presented the original programme, said the reboot had done a "good job" overall, but criticised the absence ofcheerleaders that had been used in previous iterations of the show, stating that the cheerleaders brought "another level" to the production.[89]
The show's officialInstagram account, which covers exclusive and behind the scenes footage, has gathered more than 86,000 followers to date, with each of the Gladiators' individual accounts have tens of thousands of followers.[90]
| Year | Group | Award | Nominated | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | National Television Awards | The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award | Gladiators, Series 1 | Longlisted | [91][92][93] |
| Rose d'Or | Studio Entertainment | Gladiators | Won | [94] | |
| 2025 | Broadcast Awards | Best Entertainment Programme | Gladiators | Nominated | [95] |
| National Television Awards | The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award | Gladiators, Series 2 | Longlisted |
Bloomsbury Publishing released an official companion book for the series inhardback on 7 November 2024. It includes an extended number of behind-the-scenes details of the show, including training - and eating/dieting routines of the Gladiators themselves – with one chapter dedicated for each of the sixteen Gladiators from Series One – and more deep-in details about the show itself, including stats, etc.[96]
Based on the ratings success of theBBC reboot ofGladiators, several other countries have picked up the format and adapted it to their networks. International rights are held by the production companyMGM Studios.
Legend: Currently airing Upcoming version/season No longer airing Current status unknown
| Country | Title | Presenters | Filming location(s) | Channel | First aired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | Gladiators Australia | Beau Ryan Liz Ellis | Disney Studios Australia | Network 10 | 15 January 2024 |
 France | Gladiators: Qui Osera Les Défier? (Gladiators: Who Will Dare To Challenge Them?) | Hélène Mannarino Jean-Pierre Foucault | Aren'Ice | TF1 | 27 December 2024 |
 Germany | Gladiators - Die Show Der Giganten (Gladiators - The Show Of Giants) | TBA | Messe Düsseldorf | Amazon Prime Video RTL | late 2026 |
 Russia | Гладиаторы Gladiatory (Gladiators) | Nikita Panfilov Kirill Kosharin | WeiT Media Studios Moscow | NTV | 11 May 2025 |
 United Kingdom(Flagship) | Gladiators | Bradley Walsh Barney Walsh | Sheffield Arena | BBC One | 13 January 2024 |
| Gladiators: Celebrity Special | 1 January 2025 | ||||
| Gladiators: Epic Pranks | Harry Aikines-Aryeetey | CBBC | 15 February 2025 | ||
 United States | American Gladiators | The Miz Rocsi Diaz | Aren'Ice | Amazon Prime Video | TBA |
Based on the new BBC revival ofGladiators, the Australian channelNetwork 10 announced their own version to be produced for the calendar year. The series was hosted byBeau Ryan andLiz Ellis, two Australian sporting veterans,[97] and sawAustralian-New Zealander Gladiators like "Phoenix" or "Viking" being portrayed bySandor Earl andJett Kenny respectively. The series was refereed by former Australian Gladiator "Hammer",Mark McGaw.
The show was cancelled after only one commissioned series, which "failed to find its audience" by the end of the series. The intention was for the two winning contestants to return for the following series as new Gladiators.
The French version was commissioned to be aired from December 2024 onTF1 network. The show was hosted byHélène Mannarino andJean-Pierre Foucault, with live on-arena commentary provided byDenis Brogniart.[98][99][100]
Just like the Australian revival, it was ultimately cancelled before the first series ended, as the program was poorly received and attracted low ratings. Many viewers told that the version was rather "blatant" or "boring".
A German iteration of the BBC reboot was announced in September 2025, to be produced and broadcast during 2026 for German networkRTL andAmazon Prime Video. It is set to be their first domestic iteration of the format since participation in theInternational Gladiators tournament.[101]
A Russian adaption of the format based on the BBC program was announced byNTV, and its production began in March 2025. It began airing in May 2025, with Nikita Panfilov and Kirill Kosharin as its presenters.[102] Just like with Germany, it is their first domestic series since sending "unofficial" Gladiators to theInternational Gladiators competition in the mid-1990s.
After the success of the British reboot, the American producers showed their interest of rebooting the very originalAmerican Gladators format, in the lead of original producer and creator of the franchise, Johnny Ferraro.[103] In May 2025,Deadline announcedWWE superstarMike 'The Miz' Mizanin as the host of the new reboot of theAmerican Gladiators, based upon the success of theBBC reboot, to be aired onAmazon Prime Video from yet unknown date.[104][105]
The very first live arena tour based on the BBC show is set to run from the start of November to the end of December 2025, across different cities of the mainland England and Scotland.[8]
Gladiators Live Tour displays of superhuman strength, lightning speed and awe-inspiring athleticism across four gripping events of the show, and the Eliminator. Each of the two-hour long shows showcase "spectacular action and fierce competition", where some of the main show's gladiators take on previous contenders across the already aired BBC reboot. The live tours also allow the fans of the show to meet and greet with the Gladiators, and have a closer look at the arena floor.
Hosting the tour are Maia Beth, aLondon-based DJ and radio presenter onBBC Radio 1,[106] andRadzi Chinyanganya, a former UK Gladiators contender. The tour is being overseen by the TV refereeMark Clattenburg with the assistance ofSonia Mkoloma and Lee Phillips.[107] Like for the main televised series, the official Instagram account of the live tour, which has currently over 2,000 followers, covers the highlights and main events relating to the tour.[108]
The tour is following:[8][109][110]
| Dates | City | Arena | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 November 2025 | Liverpool | M&S Bank Arena | |
| 8–9 November 2025 | London | The O2 Arena | Added due to demand[111] |
| 22–23 November 2025 | Manchester | AO Arena | |
| 29–30 November 2025 | London | OVO Arena Wembley | |
| 13–14 December 2025 | Birmingham | bp pulse LIVE | |
| 20–21 December 2025 | Glasgow | OVO Hydro | Added due to demand[112][113] |
Based upon the success of bothGladiators and theGladiators Live Tour, theNational Exhibition Centre inBirmingham will host an exclusive event in summer 2026, where the fans of the show get, for the first time ever, the opportunity to test their skills across Hang Tough, Duel, The Wall and the legendary Eliminator, as well as access to some all-exclusive features like "The Vault" and the Gladiators' Training Facility.[115]
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