Gladiators reallaaay is heading back to TV and the big question now is will it be Willoughby who takes on the role of new host?
The smart money is on This Morning presenter Holly, whose husband Dan Baldwin will make the reboot of Gladiators for the BBC with his Hungry Bear production company.
We reported last month that Gladiators, a 90s Saturday-night hit for ITV, was tipped for a comeback. That has been confirmed by the BBC’s Kate Phillips at the Edinburgh TV Festival.
She said: “Gladiators is coming back – it’s going to be terrific. We need some joy and escapism, which is what Gladiators will bring.”
With Dan involved, 41-year-old Holly has been tipped as a host of the 11-part series but no announcement has been made.
Dan said: “It’s the perfect time for Gladiators to return. What other show combines electric excitement, superheroes, giant sponge fingers, elite athletes and a pinch of pantomime?”
The original Gladiators was presented by Justin Fashanu and Ulrika Jonsson, with superhero stars such as Jet and Cobra competing against contestants in tests of speed and strength.
The new series will have fresh games and challenges alongside old favourites, each episode ending in The Eliminator. The show will launch in 2023 and filming is to start at the Utilita Arena Sheffield early next year.
Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted at the BBC, paid homage to one of the iconic lines from the original series, adding: "I can confirm on my first whistle it’s coming back."
Viewers can look forward to feeling the power of the Gladiators once again and can enjoy the challenge of the champions later in 2023 as the show is still in the planning stages and filming is yet to begin.
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