This could be the best series of Gladiators ever
There's no question that BBC One's Gladiators is great Saturday night TV. Yes, we all remember the original that aired in the 90s, but it's the revival show we can't get enough of - and the good news is that it's returning to our screens this Saturday 18th January.
If you haven't seen the new show or can’t quite remember it’s original iteration, the format pitches four players, the Contenders (two male, two female) against a group of elite athletes, the Gladiators. Each batch of Contenders compete in a series of strenuous challenges against the show’s resident Gladiators – who are ultra-fit from bodybuilders to CrossFit athletes and even a few Olympic champions. This all culminates in a face-off with the Gladiators in a final event: The Eliminator.
The lucky few who successfully beat the Gladiators go on to compete again in the next heat of the show until a grand final which will determine the overall champions. Hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh, the iconic competition has been given a fresh update for its second series - and there are some major changes in store. Here's everything we know about the new series...
What's new in the second series?
A brand new challenge: Unleashed
This new challenge sees the contenders start in a smoke-filled tunnel and have to race as quickly as possible around a track and up some steps to grab the winning flag, all while an unknown Gladiator is unleashed behind them trying to chase them down before they reach it.
Two new Gladiators: Cyclone and Hammer
Cyclone is a 23 year-old Irish Powerlifter who might only be 5 foot 10 but considers herself an all-rounder, saying “I’ve got the look, I’ve got the energy and I’ve got the muscles.”
Hammer meanwhile, is an Indoor Rowing World Champion from Nottingham, who at 6 foot 5 has made claims that his unique combination of strength, speed and height make him an unbeatable Gladiator. He warns that “When you’ve got 19 stone sprinting at you, you’ve got no chance. I’m getting you.”
The shows newbies will be joining the existing batch of Gladiators we came to know and love during last year's series including Apollo, Athena, Bionic, Comet, Diamond, Dynamite, Electro, Fire, Fury, Giant, Legend, Nitro, Phantom, Sabre, Steel and Viper.
The return of a fan favourite: The Atlaspheres
This challenge might look familiar to anyone who watched the original show in the 90s, the Contenders and Gladiators are inside what Bradley Walsh calls “huge metal hamster balls." The aim for the contenders is to roll themselves over set points in the arena to score points while the Gladiators smash into them to try and stop them.
Shiny new headgear
This series the Contenders' helmets are going to be fitted with cameras so we can get stuck right into the action with a whole new point of view! The cameras were first tested earlier this year on the celebrity special which saw Joel Dommett, Rob Beckett, Ellie Taylor and Louise Minchin take on the fearsome cast of Gladiators.
How can I watch Gladiators series 2?
Gladiators returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 18th January from 5.50pm.
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