BBC gives Gladiators major shake-up ahead of new series – it should make the show even better
THE search for new Gladiators to feature in BBC’s reboot is under way – and show bosses are looking to weed out any bores.
They want to make sure the latest generation possess as much personality as they have muscles after fans accused the stars of 2008’s Sky version of being too bland.
Applicants are being asked to name their “super power” and reveal who would play them in a Hollywood movie.
It’s an attempt to find larger-than-life characters who will be a big hit with viewers, just like the ITV .
A show insider said: “Bosses want the new Gladiators to have bundles of personality, just like the original.
“It’s tough to remember any of the Gladiators from the Sky version as they were deemed too robotic.
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“The reboot will have more of a nod to the original, where the cast became huge stars.”
The BBC announced in August that the popular show would be returning in 2023 following a 14-year break.
The remake has been inundated with applicants hoping to be either Gladiators or competitors, and producers expect some familiar names from the world of sport to be among them.
The questionnaire to accompany applications also asks people to name any athletic events at a professional level they have featured in, plus share “notable sporting awards or accolades”.
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The original series was a huge Saturday-night hit when it ran from 1992 to 2000, with John Fashanu and Ulrika Jonsson on hosting duties.
Gladiators such as Jet, Panther, Hunter, Saracen and Wolf became household names, and are still fondly remembered by fans.
The BBC reboot could potentially have a new bad boy Wolf, after it was revealed the son of Michael Van Wijk, the show’s previous villain, has applied to be one of the new Gladiators for the 11-episode series filmed in Sheffield next year.
That’s a scary thought.
