News Beat
Brutal banter, a secret ‘big softie’ and the star all the dads LOVE, everything you need to know as Gladiators returns
THE Gladiators are back – and more ready than ever to monster a new crop of contenders in the arena.
Expect bruising encounters and flying insults as the superhuman muscle machines take on explosive new challenge, Destruction, along with favourites The Eliminator, The Wall, and Powerball.
In an interview with Radio Times, stars of BBC One’s reboot — hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh — have their say before the action-packed third series, which kicks off on Saturday at 5.45pm.
Legend
IT’S no myth that Legend is the king of the trash talk – and he’s back with more bullish banter.
Modest as ever, Matt Morsia, 40, said: “I’m wholly confident I’ll be remembered as the greatest Gladiator of all time.
“It’s awkward when you’re good at all of the games, because, firstly, it’s difficult to programme that logistically.
“But also, you attract a lot of envy from others.
“When you’re at the top of your game, there are a lot of eyes on you.
“Even just looking at me, that’s probably very inspirational for the average person.”
Nitro
FRESH from Strictly, Nitro has swapped dancing for the Duel as he returns to the arena.
Forced to pull out of last year’s series after suffering a serious knee injury, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37, is raring to go.
As well as a competitive edge, he plans to bring a bit of kindness to proceedings.
He says: “The last series of Gladiators was a little meaner without me around. I’m here to bring back that entertainment and fun.
“It is the year of the Nitro – let’s call it!”
The former Olympic sprinter says he wants to be an inspiration to kids.
He adds: “I often tell them, the more noise they make the stronger I become. They fuel me.
“I’d want my legacy to be like the fables of Hercules – this person ran as fast as he could against the world’s best, championing his country.”
Fury
FURY is a trailblazer – as the first Gladiator with a cochlear implant.
Former rugby union ace Jodie Ounsley, 25, said she was nervous about joining the show in 2024 due to her deafness.
Fury, who took part in the most recent Strictly Christmas special, said: “I do struggle in certain areas, so I have to be open about that.
“But I really grasped how big it could be, especially on TV, for kids being able to see that.
“It’s so cool that I can normalise it for kids who have no idea about deafness, but by seeing us on Gladiators they might have a bit more of an understanding of it.”
Eyeing up the competition, Fury reckons Cyclone would be her toughest opponent.
She said: “I would not cross her, that’s for sure. She is the strongest, most physical woman I’ve seen. Even out of my whole rugby career – she’s just another level.”
Sabre
THE Gladiators are loved by children, but Sabre – real name Sheli McCoy – thinks dads are her biggest fans.
On the cheeky signs she spots in the audience, she said: “‘Sabre, will you marry my dad?’
“There’s honestly 50 of them an episode. They’ve made their kids sit down and make those signs.”
Sheli, 37, is thankful for the role that Gladiators plays in young fans’ lives.
She said: “If today was my last day, I would feel proud that I’ve made a difference.
“There have been so many parents who have told me stories of their children overcoming body-confidence issues, sports issues, health issues, due to the presence of Gladiators.”
Steel
DON’T let Steel’s Mr Nice Guy persona fool you – he’s not going to go easy on the contenders.
He insists: “When that whistle blows, I’m there to win.”
To maintain his tip-top fitness, Zack George, 35, trains twice a day, six days a week.
Steel is proud that he can be a positive influence on children.
He said: “We are like real-life superheroes, and the joy on the kids’ and adults’ faces when they come to watch the show… they are in awe.
“As a child, if your parent says, ‘Eat some healthy food’ or ‘Do a bit of exercise’, it’s like, ‘Ugh, whatever’. But when a Gladiator says it, it genuinely sinks in.”
Fire
FIRE is ready to set the contest alight, but admits having a big heart is her Achilles’ heel.
Olympic runner Montell Douglas, 39, says: “That holds me back, because I’m a big softie.
“I’ve got a warm heart, that can be my downfall, because I respect the contenders and their craft, so I just feel sorry for them.”
On her young fans, who she calls Flames, she says: “Recently, we had a girl whose parent told us that she’d taken up athletics because of me. It is incredible.”
