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Last year, one of the biggest sports series of the ’90s made a triumphant return. Season 1 of BBC’s Gladiators embraced the brass band, lycra and crazy games like Duel, Hang Tough and The Wall in all their glory. The result was the BBC’s biggest TV launch in seven years.
Father and son TV duo Bradley and Barney Walsh took on presenting duties, while top athletes adopted alter egos and became formidable opponents of the contestants, providing excellent entertainment for fans at home.
Season 1 concluded at the end of March 2024 and after a Celebrity Edition of the show in the new year, all eyes are now on Gladiators Season 2. Here’s what you need to know.
When will Gladiators season 2 come out?
Get your duel sticks ready, because the BBC has officially confirmed on its website that Gladiators season 2 is on Saturday January 18, 2025 at 5:50 PM GMT.
Nick Eagle/BBC/Hungry Bear
Which gladiators return?
All but one of the Gladiators are returning for season 2. These are:
- Athens – Karenjeet Kaur Bains
- Bionic – Matty Campbell
- Comet – Ella-Mae Rayner
- Diamond – Livi Sheldon
- Electro – Jade Packer
- Fire – Montell Douglas
- Anger – Jodie Ounsley
- Giant – Jamie Christian Johal
- Legend – Matt Morsia
- Ghost – Toby Olubi
- Steel – Zack George
- Viper – Quang Luong
Unfortunately, the king of The Wall and sprinter Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey) had to sit out the new series due to a knee injury.
Moreover, the cast will grow a bit this year.
Who are the new Gladiators?
The BBC has confirmed that two new Gladiators will join the cast, and we can get a brief look at them thanks to trailers and teasers.
We know we’re getting one man and one woman, but we haven’t seen their faces. However, Reddit has noted that during the Instagram trailer, the male gladiator appears to be holding a giant hammer like Thor – a prop that will hopefully not be allowed during events.
You can watch this below:
The BBC is likely to reveal more about the new additions in the coming weeks.
What are the new events for Gladiators season 2?
Fans of the original series will be happy to hear that Atlaspheres is making a comeback. This was revealed in the official trailer, where competitors and gladiators clash in giant spherical cages (or hamster wheels if you prefer).
The contenders must reach specific points on the floor, while the Gladiators try to block them.
The trailer also shows a brand new sprint-based event. It looks like the contenders will have to capture a flag while being chased by a Gladiator. The trailer showed Fire competing in this event, one of many ex-sprinters, so this will be a challenge.
You can see both events in the trailer below:
The footage and Celebrity Special revealed the return of events such as Duel, Hang Tough, Gauntlet, Power Ball, The Edge and Collision. The New Year’s special made a change to Gauntlet by adding an extra Gladiator, meaning participants will have to fight through five obstacles instead of four.
This was the case in the original series and a welcome change considering most of the participants beat the game in series 1.
Who won Gladiators season 1?
After ten weeks of tough challenges, with several participants having to withdraw due to injuries, it came down to the finals.
The women’s title was won between Sheffield-born and bred Bronte and Dublin-born Marie-Louise. Meanwhile, the men’s final was between Leeds-born Wesley – a replacement for another contender who had to withdraw – and Edinburgh’s Finlay.
In the end, Marie-Louise and Finlay reigned victorious, reaching the summit of the dreaded companion first.
BBC / James Stack / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd
Will Gladiators return for season 3?
The BBC has not announced whether Gladiators will return for a new season after the next one airs.
Season 1 was a huge success for the BBC, so it probably depends on how season 2 performs. If it goes well, we don’t know why it would be canceled.
We’ll learn more when the show returns – when applications open for a new season, the show will likely be back in 2026.
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