Original Gladiators star Diane Youdale, aka Jet, speaks exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the BBC Gladiators reboot.
The BBC are bringing back one of the biggest entertainment shows of the ’90s this year with the return of Gladiators.
The reboot will see a brand new cast taking on members of the public as they compete in a series of challenges, while Bradley Walsh and his son Barney will present the show.
While the format is expected to remain the same, we won’t be seeing any of the original Gladiators on the BBC show, although original Gladiator Diane Youdale, aka Jet, mentioned she would have liked to be involved.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com on behalf of ICE 36, she revealed: “I was contacted to go and sit in the audience and have a few interviews. I would have liked to have done consultancy work behind-the-scenes because I’m a psychotherapist and I also know the arena inside out.”
She added: “I’d love to have done some background interviews about what’s going on for you psychologically, how you go about going into that arena and approaching that event and this contender whose proven themselves to be awesome. I’d love to have done that.”
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Despite not being involved with the show in the way she’d have liked, Diane is looking forward to the reboot, which she thinks is going to be “excellent”.
“The presenter slots are all taken,” she said, adding: “The father and son duo are quite good together in front of the camera for a slightly more critique, comedic value. The referees are going to be excellent and hopefully very serious because it is a competition and it’s an athletic arena so it needs to have the gravitas and the respect it deserves.
“The contenders are going to be excellent. There’s no doubt about it. Today’s sports science, nutrition and functional fitness will mean that any athlete who has been selected for the show are going to be very good, so the Glads have to be that much more, they really do.”
Gladiators will air on BBC One in 2023. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide. Visit our Entertainment hub for all the latest news.
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