Exclusive
BIG MISTAKE
Gladiators star Giant boasts of taking dangerous steroids in YouTube video titled ‘take this and you will get big’
Parents of young fans will be particularly concerned by the steroid revelations
HIT new BBC show Gladiators was rocked last night after its biggest star was forced to admit using dangerous steroids.
Videos — including one titled “Take this and you will get big” — show the ex-fireman talking about the muscle-boosting Class C drugs which can lead to heart attacks, kidney failure and psychiatric trauma.
8
8
8
8
The 6ft 5in Giant, real name Jamie Christian-Johal, boasts of “phenomenal gains”.
And, in a Facebook post, he tells how he was 200lb in 2009 but now expected to hit 310lb.
BBC bosses went into crisis mode when we alerted them to the videos, which were still available yesterday.
Insiders said it is a “disastrous” look having a Gladiator on the newly-returned Saturday evening show claiming steroids are fine.
READ MORE ON GLADIATORS
One source said: “This is a nightmare for the BBC.
“It’s a family show and they’ve somehow not spotted this material from its biggest star.
“Fans could find his advice for taking steroids with just a simple Google search of his name.”
The show, which is on at 5.50pm today, attracted 6.4million viewers for last Saturday’s launch show.
Most read in News TV
But parents of young fans will be particularly concerned by the steroid revelations.
Gladiators stars were said to have taken frequent drug tests and been quizzed about their use of performance enhancing drugs before being signed up — but somehow Giant’s videos were missed.
In one YouTube clip the married father from Derbyshire declares: “I didn’t start taking steroids until I was 24 years old.”
Giant, 37, told The Sun he had come off them late in 2022.
He said: “I have always been open and transparent about my use of steroids whilst I was a professional bodybuilder.
“During that time, I spoke openly about the legal use of performance enhancements as a competitive bodybuilder and how to safely administer them.
“I stopped competing as a bodybuilder in October 2022 and responsibly came off steroids.
“I am no longer a professional bodybuilder and am no longer taking steroids and do not advocate the use of them.”
8
Anabolic steroids are Class C drugs that can only be issued by pharmacists with a prescription.
They are legal to use but illegal to sell, even to friends.
The penalty is an unlimited fine, or jail term of up to 14 years.
Side-effects of anabolic steroids can include reduced sperm count, infertility, shrunken testicles, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, breast development and an increased risk of prostate cancer.
In the “Take this and you will get big” video, Giant discusses how steroid abuse is rife in competitive bodybuilding.
Sitting next to an amateur bodybuilder, he says: “I already had eight years training under my belt and I had already competed twice. And I got some phenomenal gains off that.”
But he does say training, nutrition and lifestyle play a bigger role.
He adds: “I know a lot of guys taking a lot of drugs and they are small and out of shape.”
Viewers have included a 16-year-old student who commented: “Very good educational discussions video.”
Giant also appears at least twice on the “steroid guide” section of bodybuilding training website, trainedbyjp.com
And he discusses taking them on his Facebook page, where he has 9,500 followers.
In a post from March 2022, he wrote: “In 2009, I was 200lbs on stage, fast forward to 2022 some 13 years later I’m predicting a stage weight of 310 some 110lbs of muscle later.
“For many years I’d accumulate 10lbs of extra stage weight a year, something that is considered near impossible.”
In pre-publicity for Gladiators he said: “I feel like everything in life has led me here.
“I’m honoured to be part of this iconic show that I watched as a child.”
Among the new Gladiators, “Bionic” Matty Campbell is a bodybuilder “Viper” Quang Thanh Luong is a bodybuilder and actor.
“Legend” Matt Morsia took an online drugs test and insists he has always been clean.
Zack George, who stars as Steel, is a cross-fit social media star, “Phantom” Toby Olubi was a Team GB bobsleigher, “Nitro” Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was a sprinter and “Apollo” Alex Gray is a former rugby player.
The BBC said: “The Gladiators production team were robust with their no-drugs policy and drug testing was part of the process which all Gladiators agreed to and complied with.
“The results showed that they were not taking performance enhancing drugs.”
Drugs damage heart and brain
TAKING too many anabolic steroids can damage the heart, liver and the brain, say experts.
The drugs, which are illegal to possess or import, are usually injected into a muscle or taken by mouth as tablets.
Some come as creams or gels that are applied to the skin.
They do increase muscle mass and decrease fat but side-effects can include heart attacks, liver or kidney failure and high blood pressure.
Erectile dysfunction, shrunken testicles and increased prostate cancer risk can result in men.
For women, the side-effects include facial hair growth, severe acne and problems with periods.
People who take steroids as teens can stunt their growth.
January is the month people are most likely to get the habit, mostly males in their late teens to early 30s who have been influenced by the effects of social media.
Sun on Sunday GP Jeff Foster has warned users that they are playing a deadly game.
He said: “When I started going to the gym 25 years ago, steroids were used by extreme body-builders or athletes and the loners at the back of a car park.
“Now, they’re readily available the numbers using them are absolutely enormous.”
Concerned Dr Luke Evans, MP, will discuss steroid abuse on Tuesday with Sports Minister Stuart Andrew.
He said between 500,000 and a million Brits use Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs).
He said: “Young men are learning about steroids on the internet and through social media accounts on Instagram and TikTok.
“Shows like Gladiators will also have an impact because young men will always want to look better and think they can quickly imitate the people they see on TV.
“Steroids are psychologically addictive, but users don’t see themselves as drug addicts because they are clean living.”
'Infertility hell after taking them for 12yrs'
8
COMPUTER engineer Gideon Lound used steroids for 12 years from the age of 18, which has led to fertility issues.
Gideon, now 35, from Maidstone, Kent, said: “I was taking 500mg of testosterone a week and one tablet a day of Dianabol.
“I played county level cricket for years and there was an element of getting an edge but truly it was just vanity and wanting a shortcut.
"In three months I gained two-and-a-half stone and 75 per cent was muscle.
“Unfortunately, I developed acne on my back and chest and my water retention was pretty bad.”
He and wife Kathryn, 32, are now resorting to IVF treatment.
He said: “The big side effect was infertility.
“Bodybuilding was my main goal for so many years and I can see now it just wasn’t worth it.”
'Abuse rife in world of bodybuilding'
8
GYM owner Jay Atkins, 49, from Maidstone, said: “Something needs to be done because there are an awful lot of steroid users in the UK.
“The steroids are imported from China and people are using them in their own homes, which is far from clinically ideal.
“The users don’t know what they are taking and there are huge health ramifications.
“There is no way of making this safer.
“There are several high-profile deaths a year.
“The biggest guy in the gym will give you his version of science and how to use safely, but it’s not the same as speaking to a doctor.
“I’ve competed as a bodybuilder and it’s even rife in natural competition.
“There are ways of getting around any drug test.
“Steroids are incredibly dangerous when abused.”
Wolf drug sting
8
GLADIATORS legend Wolf has revealed how the show’s original stars were subjected to rigorous drug testing.
The TV villain, real name Michael Van Wijk, claims they were even set up in a secret drugs sting.
He told The Sun: “We were tested for drugs, and if you failed you’d get a written warning.
“If you failed a second time you would be sacked.”
The bodybuilder, now 71, claimed: “Somebody stopping us outside the studio to get us to buy drugs.
“We refused. They were trying to set people up.
“We were tested regularly.
Read More on The Sun
“Testers would turn up at your house and at the show.
“No advance notice was given.”
Topics