Age-defying Gladiators star ‘Lightning’ shocked fans as she slipped into her skin-tight outfits she hasn’t worn since the 90s.
The gymnast and bodybuilder, whose real name is Kim Betts, says she didn’t even remember keeping the iconic outfits.
“I didn’t realise I had all these costumes. I haven’t seen them since the filming,” the 50-year-old said in a new video on Instagram.
The blonde star, who is the longest-serving female Gladiator, was asked to get the outfits out for an upcoming appearance on This Morning.
“I knew I had one, maybe two costumes – but I’m well chuffed that I’ve got five, and a half – I can’t find the pants,” she said in a video.
“For 30 years they have been in storage in a bag, shoved under a bed or in the loft, so I’m now going to put them in a frame with a photo of me on the show.”
She explained she’ll sign the frame, turning it into memorabilia, and “keeping them nice”.
“This is a little bit like trying on a wedding dress,” she joked nervously – before trying on the costumes.
“After 30 years of being married, these [outfits] have not touched my skin since they were last filmed in, so this will be quite interesting.
Kim’s daughter Skye joined her mum while she filmed the video – later stepping in front of the camera to try on the clothes for herself.
“Skye is here,” she added. “She has never seen me in any of this so, today is the day. I really don’t think they’re going to look like how they used to, but we will see.”
She started by wearing a pink and blue number with the iconic lightning bolts in black and white down the middle – Kim says it was her least favourite.
She continued wearing the different costumes – standing in her iconic Gladiators pose, recreating the shots from the TV show 30 years ago.
Skye then jumped in front of the camera, proudly wearing her mum’s Gladiators gear, also recreating the well-known poses.
The video was shared the day before her This Morning appearance where Kim wore her long blonde hair down straight as she reminisced about her time on the show.
She joined Hunter and Saracen as she looked very glamorous in tight black trousers and a matching low-cut top.
Speaking to Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle, she said: “I still get lots of stories being sent to me saying, 'you inspired me so much, you changed my life, you motivated me’.
“You think, 'wow', it really is quite powerful.”
Taking to Twitter, one viewer said: “Bloody hell Lightning, Saracen and Hunter have barely aged a day and look amazing.
Another person posted: “Bloomin loved #Gladiators and how fab do they look still #ThisMorning.”
A third person tweeted: “Omg The Gladiators. I use to pretend to be Nightshade.
“They look so amazing. #thismorning." A fourth viewer added: "Saracen still got it going on! Wowoweewah! #thismorning."
