Former rugby star Joe Marler has become the first celebrity Gladiator to join the hit BBC programme.
The popular game show is hosted by father-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh, and sees contestants’ speed, power, endurance and agility put to the test as they face off with elite athletes, known as Gladiators.
Marler, 36, will be stepping into the Sheffield arena as his alter ego Mauler as he makes his Gladiators debut.
Marler marks the first star to join the team of elite athletes and will go head-to-head with contestants in special appearances “packed with power, personality and plenty of surprises”.
However, it is not the first time a celebrity has set foot in the arena – as the all-star spin-off has seen the likes of Vogue Williams, Joe Wicks, Rob Beckett and Joel Dommett take on the Gladiators.
Marler will be joined by familiar Gladiator faces including Apollo, Comet, Diamond, Nitro and Dynamite in the upcoming series.
He rose to fame as an England rugby star, and has pivoted toward a career in television since retiring from the sport.
Marler has featured on shows such as Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, Blankety Blank and recently took part in Soccer Aid 2026.
His appearance on the Celebrity Traitors last autumn turned him into a TV star, and he quickly became a fan favourite with his shrewd analysis of the game and his friendships with comedians Joe Wilkinson and Nick Mohammed.
Marler formed an alliance with Ted Lasso star Mohammed, who later backstabbed him at the final roundtable and voted him out – creating a viral moment and sparking massive online reaction.
Gladiators returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027.
