By Patrick Cremona

Published: Friday, 29 July 2022 at 12:00 am


BBC One is reportedly making plans to launch a reboot of Gladiators.

According to Broadcast, the revival has been in the works for some time and will be filmed in Sheffield Arena next year.

A set of “preliminary gladiators” has already been chosen, according to the report, but there will be another round of casting should the show get the official green light.

And a source was quoted as saying, “It’s exactly the kind of Saturday night family entertainment show that BBC One needs.”

As in the previous version of the show, the reboot will see contestants invited to compete in a number of physical tasks – going up directly against the professional gladiators, culminating in the iconic Travelator challenge.

It’s 30 years since the series made its debut on ITV, with the original run having lasted from 1992 until 2000, presented by Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu.

The last time the show was on air was on Sky 1 in 2008, with a revived version hosted by Ian Wright, Kirsty Gallacher and Caroline Flack for two seasons.

This latest revival will be the first time the show has aired on BBC One, and it’s not yet clear who might be involved as presenters on the new version.

It has been developed by Hungry Bear Media– the production company behind a number of other BBC shows including Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof.

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