Contenders, ready! Gladiators, ready!
One of the most exciting and iconic sports entertainment gameshows ever, Gladiators returns to screens in its brand-new home on the BBC. Hosted by father and son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh, the show will see a new generation of superhuman Gladiators competing against a brave set of contenders in the ultimate test of speed and strength. They will take part in a series of brand-new games alongside classic challenges including fan-favourite The Eliminator.
Gladiators (11 x 60’) is a Hungry Bear and MGM Alternative UK for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted. The Executive Producers are Dan Baldwin and Lou Brown for Hungry Bear and Dom Bird MGM Alternative UK. The Head of Entertainment Commissioning for the BBC is Kalpna Patel-Knight and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Clodagh O’Donoghue.
UK series developed by Hungry Bear Media, original American Gladiators series was created by Johnny C. Ferraro and Dan Carr.
Gladiators will go on the first whistle on Saturday 13 January 2024 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Want to find out more? Meet the Gladiators Presenters and find out more about the show.
MJ
Interview with Bradley Walsh
Bradley, what can you tell us about the new series of Gladiators?
It’s pretty much true to the original with some changes and brought into the modern era. It’s a fantastic spectacle, I was so excited to work on the show. It’s very easy to say, “it’s fantastic”, but it really is. Production have done their best to stick to the original and have run with the ball as hard and as fast as they can, and they’ve done a fantastic job.
Why did you want to be involved with the show?
My wife, Donna, was involved in the original series running the cheerleading G Force and was an associate producer on the show so I used to visit her and watch the show being made and when my son, Barney was born it was still on air, so we used to take him to watch the show. I took part in Gladiators as a celebrity years ago in 1997, I wasn’t really a celebrity back then as I only had a few jobs under my belt and think I had to fill in for someone. It was a family affair for us and so when the team at Hungry Bear spoke to us and said they were looking for a family appeal to the show and asked if we would we like to host it, and we jumped at the chance.
You mentioned you took part in a celebrity version of Gladiators back in 1997, have you been giving the contenders any advice?
Absolutely not, no! I was terrible, there is no advice I could give, none whatsoever. They were a lot fitter, faster, higher, stronger than I could ever be and consequently I was useless. As I said I think I filled in for someone, so no advice whatsoever, none.
Do you still have the costume?
Oh, crikey I wish but no absolutely not. No way would it fit me now!
What was it like presenting with your son Barney?
It was really good and great fun for us to be part of the show. We’d done five series of ‘Breaking Dad’, so it was good fun to be able to stand together on camera and present together as we know how each other works.
What did you think of the set when you saw it for the first time in the arena?
It was mesmerising. The production team kept the set from us for quite some time and the day before we were going to rehearse Barney and I walked into the training session and watched people on the equipment and we thought this is this is absolutely amazing!
What was it like filming in Sheffield. Can you describe sort of that atmosphere in the arena?
Oh it was great! The audiences were amazing - just brilliant, lovely people, and I mean the atmosphere was smashing. We had a warm-up guy (Stuart Holdham) and two DJs (Danny Mylo and Rosie Madison) from a local radio station working together keeping the audience entertained, they worked brilliantly together. It was like being at a concert rather than a TV show!
Did you have to put any of the Gladiators in their place?
No, they were so respectful, apart from Viper and Legend, Viper hardly spoke, and Legend spoke too much! Legend at one point picked Barney up and threw him onto the mat and he took my microphone and then threw it. It was hard work dealing with them it really was, but it was all in good fun and they were wonderful to work with.
If there was to be a celebrity version of Gladiators, who would you like to see take part?
You want someone sporty, you’d want someone with a sense of humour and they’ve got to be so fit because they’ll be getting bashed around. You’d probably need a rugby player or boxer, maybe Anthony Joshua or Nicola Adams?
What would your Gladiator name be and why.
I don’t know, my celebrity Gladiator name back in the day was ‘Crumpet’ for some peculiar reason! Someone gave me the name as I was walking out, and it stuck. Funnily enough when filming this series, someone had a sign that read Brad do you remember being Crumpet? And of course, I didn’t remember it was Crumpet until that point. What would my new Gladiator name be? Either Hamster or Gerbil? Something along those lines because you can't compete with the others.
Who would win out of Bradley vs Barney?
It's no competition. Barney! He's quicker and stronger than me, I wouldn't have a chance I'd have to cheat. The great thing about Barnes is he'd let me win though, to help me build up my confidences, he’s that sort of bloke.
And finally, what can viewers expect from the new series?
Everything: drama, laughter, excitement, spectacle, all of the above, it’s a proper event. They've done a great job of paying homage to the original but updating it for the modern generation. It’s really brilliant.
Interview with Barney Walsh
Barney, what can you tell us about the new series of Gladiators?
Well, it's going to be very, very exciting. I'm thrilled that Gladiators is coming back and hosting it with Dad was incredible. We're paying homage to the original series because it's like the original. What I love is that we're now at a point where the people who watched Gladiators when they were younger are now grown up and have children of their own so it's a real generational family event and I’m very excited for everyone to see it.
Why did you want to be involved with the show?
It’s such a pillar of British television culture, it was such a massive thing back in the day and to be asked to be a part of it is an honour for me.
Did you have any funny moments whilst filming?
We had a ton of funny moments it's great working with Dad, because when we're together we just have a laugh. We're mates first and foremost so we just we just have fun with it and are always cracking jokes.
What was it like filming in front of the audience in Sheffield?
I didn't expect the atmosphere to be the way it was coming out onto the stage. That's a vivid memory for me, walking out the first time, because 3,500 people is a massive number. It sounds like a massive number, but you can't really conceptualize it until you walk out there. You've got everyone around you in that big round arena, all the lights going off, all the cannons, and everyone screaming and cheering, that was spectacular. The arena was electric, it was alive, and everyone could really feel that.
Speaking of the original series, did you have a favourite Gladiator?
My favourite Gladiator from the original line-up? Wolf definitely! He was so menacing, and such a baddie and I love that. We do have characters like that in the new Gladiators, one of them being Viper, he's a real baddie. It's always a treat to watch him when he comes out and does his thing. It's awesome.
What were your first impressions when you saw the set?
I was absolutely blown away because it just looks magnificent walking out there and seeing it even just the colour contrast of the blues and the reds, that colour scheme in general is just so exciting to me. We have a new game called The Edge and the way that’s introduced with the effects and the whole arena initially goes dark and then lights up, it’s just magnificent.
Is there a particular game that you think you would be quite good at?
I don't really have a fear of heights, so I think The Edge would be one that I'd like. Imagine a game like British bulldog but it’s suspended up in the air and if you fall you land into a net - that sounds like my cup of tea! I think I’d have fun with Hang Tough and I’d like to think I’d be good a Duel, unless someone like Giant is at the other end, I don’t think I’d win that, but with the others I might just have a chance!
You mentioned Giant just then, is he the only Gladiator you wouldn’t want to compete against?
I wouldn’t want to go up against Nitro in anything speed intensive, he would be tough to beat on The Wall because he’s very quick. Apollo is an ex-NFL star so he would take you to the cleaners on Powerball, but they are all going to be tough as that’s what makes them Gladiators.
Who would win out of Bradley versus Barney
On Duel dad would definitely cheat, even though you're not allowed to poke with the pugil sticks, he'd just start poking and he would win through cheating. He'd be good at a new game called Collision which involves a bridge and timing. You need to time your run across the bridge to dodge the Gladiators, he'd be good at that. I'd beat him on the wall as he’s scared of heights.
And finally, what can viewers expect from the new series?
Excitement, action, adrenaline, it's going to be an amazing show. We've put so much into it and it's just spectacular, and I can't wait for everyone to see it. For me and dad it’s been a real honour to be able to host this show and to bring Gladiators back to Britain.
