Information about Gladiators (british Tv Show)

Gladiators
Gladiators Logo, 1992-2000
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	8 domestic, 2 international, 2 Ashes, 2 Springbok Challenge, 4 Train 2 Win
No. of episodes	132
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV
Original run	10 October 1992 – 1 January 2000

Gladiators was a long-running game show produced by LWT for ITV in the United Kingdom from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000. It was an adaptation of the United States game show American Gladiators, which had developed a cult following in the UK through its late night TV showings. Both shows later led to an Australian spin-off. Repeats of Gladiators series are currently shown on Challenge however it is currently taking a break.

The show pitted contestants in a variety of physical events against the 'Gladiators', who would attempt to prevent them from achieving maximum points on a variety of games. After this, the two contestants would race each other on The Eliminator, an assault course containing climbing, balancing, and cargo nets. The contender with the most points received a half second head start for every 1 point by which they were in front.

The show was originally presented by John Fashanu and Ulrika Jonsson. John Fashanu was replaced by Jeremy Guscott in 1997, before returning for the final mini series in 1999.

The referee was John Anderson and the timekeepers over the show's run were Andrew Norgate, Derek Redmond and Eugene Gilkes. John Sachs commentated for the show from the beginning to the end and the Gladiators were cheered on by a group of cheerleaders, known as G-Force.

Apart from the off-series live events, all the Gladiators tapings took place at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.

The Gladiators

Female

Gladiator name	Career	Real name
Amazon	Season 4; Wembley 1996	Sharron Davies
Blaze	Sheffield 1995	Eunice Huthart
Falcon	Seasons 2-8; International Gladiators 1-2; Wembley 1994, 1996; Sheffield 1995	Bernadette Hunt
Flame	Season 1; Wembley 1993	Kimbra Standish
Fox	Seasons 6-8; Royal Tournament 2; Springbok Challenge 2	Tammy Baker
Gold	Season 6; Springbok Challenge 2	Lize Van Der Walt
Jet	Seasons 1-4; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1	Diane Youdale
Laser	Season 5; The Ashes 2	Tina Andrew
Lightning	Seasons 1-8; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1-2; Springbok Challenge 1	Kim Betts
Nightshade	Seasons 2-5; Wembley 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1	Judy Simpson
Panther	Seasons 1-5; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; Sheffield 1995; International Gladiators 2	Helen O'Reilly
Phoenix	Season 1; Wembley 1993	Sandy Young
Rebel	Seasons 5-8; Wembley 1996, 1997: Springbok Challenge 1 (1997),	Jennifer Stoute
Rio	Seasons 5-8; Wembley 1996; Springbok Challenge 1-2	Jane Omorogbe
Rocket	Season 6; Springbok Challenge 1; Royal Tournament 2	Pauline Richards
Scorpio	Seasons 1-3; Wembley 1993, 1994; International Gladiators 1	Nikki Diamond
Siren	Seasons 6-8; Springbok Challenge 2	Alison Paton
Vogue	Seasons 4-8; Sheffield 1995; International Gladiators 2; The Ashes 1-2; Wembley 1996; Springbok Challenge 1-2	Suzanne Cox
Zodiac	Seasons 2-5; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995	Kate Staples

Male

Gladiator name	Career	Real name
Ace	Seasons 5-8; Wembley 1996; The Ashes 2; Springbok Challenge 1-2	Warren Furman
Bullit	Wembley 1993	Mike Harvey
Cobra	Seasons 1-8; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; Springbok Challenge 2	Michael Willson
Diesel	Seasons 7-8	Darren Crawford
Hawk	Season 1; Wembley 1993	Aleks Georgijev
Hunter	Seasons 2-8; Wembley 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1-2; Royal Tournament 1-2; Springbok Challenge 1-2	James Crossley
Khan	Season 6; Royal Tournament 2	Radosev Nekic
Raider	Season 4; Sheffield 1995; International Gladiators 2	Carlton Headley
Rhino	Seasons 4-8; Sheffield 1995; International Gladiators 2; The Ashes 1-2; Wembley 1996; Royal Tournament 1; Springbok Challenge 1-2	Mark Smith
Saracen	Seasons 1-8; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 2; Springbok Challenge 1-2	Mike Lewis
Shadow	Seasons 1-3; Wembley 1993, 1994; International Gladiators 1	Jefferson King
Trojan	Seasons 2-5; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995	Mark Griffin
Vulcan	Seasons 7-8; International Gladiators 2 (as part of Australian team)	John Seru
Warrior	Seasons 1-6; Wembley 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1-2; Royal Tournament 1	Michael Ahearne
Wolf	Seasons 1-8; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; The Ashes 1-2; Royal Tournament 1; Springbok Challenge 1	Michael Van Wijk

The Events

See Gladiators events main page

The Contenders

Applicants that wanted to take part in the show had to go through rigorous fitness tests to prove themselves before they were selected to take part in the show. Future British 400 metre hurdler Chris Rawlinson and Wales International Rugby Union winger Glen Webbe were the most famous of these to compete. Most competitors achieved brief local fame, but Series 3 women's champion Eunice Huthart earned great recognition, and briefly presented late night television before becoming a stunt double.

Controversies

The relationship between "Hunter" (James Crossley) and presenter Ulrika Jonsson was a tabloid focus during 1996 and 1997. The pair initially denied the affair, but later Jonsson admitted it in her 2003 biography.^[1]

John Anderson

Anderson was the head official for the entire duration. He was best known for his call before every event of "Contender READY! Gladiator READY!". His strict attitude was often thought to be an act due to the fact he sometimes turned a blind eye to obvious cheating. During celebrity specials Anderson took a more comical attitude to the show such as adapting his call to "Little Contender READY!" when Willie Carson took part.

'The Wolfman'

Gladiator "Wolf" (aka Michael Van Wijk) remained in the show for its entire duration. The most outspoken and rebellious Gladiator, Wolf did everything to break the rules from fighting with contestants, arguing with the referee, pulling off contestants' trousers and bullying the presenters. American Gladiators fans who have watched Wolf see him as the British equivalent to the American Gladiator Danny Lee 'Nitro' Clark. The Australian equivalent was Vulcan, played by John Seru.

Train 2 Win

In the late 1990s, when the popularity of the programme began to wane, a spin-off entitled Gladiators: Train To Win was produced and aired on CITV in 1996, based on Gladiators 2000, the kids' version of American Gladiators. The show featured two teams of children, each captained by a Gladiator (varying each week) which sought to gain the most points. Some of the games differed from those on the parent show; for example, the "Eliminator" round was more similar to the "Pursuit" round (though it still featured the famous "Travelator").

Celebrity Specials

Four celebrity specials were produced during the shows history. The first two, in 1993 and 1994 were aired in the week between Semi-Final 2 and the Grand Final and the other two in 1996 and 1997 were aired over the Christmas period.

Celebrity Special Winners

1993: John Fashanu
1994: Derek Redmond
1996: Steve Redgrave
1997: Celebrities v Jockeys - Jockeys team (Bob Champion, Willie Carson, Tony Dobbin, Carl Llewelyn & Peter Scudamore)

The Brian Conley Show

The Brian Conley Show included a sketch character who was a stuntman and mock Gladiator called Dangerous Brian, performed by Brian Conley himself. His commentator and "sidekick" was Gladiators' John Sachs. LWT produced both shows, and for one sketch, Dangerous had to run The Eliminator with Wolf. [1]

International Shows

The show inspired many other countries to start their own series. The first 4 countries to get in on the act were USA, Russia, UK and Finland. All four appeared on the first International Gladiators series. Shortly after this series other countries such as Nigeria, Australia, South Africa and Germany followed the trend. The last two nations to air the show were Denmark and Sweden, Denmark beginning in 2002 and ending quickly afterwards. Sweden started in 2001 and ended in 2004, after much success including the only ever Gladiators PC game, 'Gladiatorerna'. With Sweden gone in 2004, no other nations remained, and therefore the Gladiators craze was over for the time being.

Within weeks of each other in mid-2007, MGM Television, which owns the show concept, announced two revivals to be launched in 2008; NBC initially launched plans for a revival in the United States; Seven has announced an Australian revival to be launched in 2008 also.

External links

• Gladiators at Gladiators Zone
• Gladiators at UKGameshows.com
• Gladiators at Challenge.co.uk

Notes