Gladiators is back on Saturday night TV, and it’s serving total nostalgia – 22 favourite reactions
If you’re of a certain age, you’ll no doubt have dewy-eyed memories of watching the hugely successful TV show Gladiators on a Saturday night in the 90s.
The format saw ‘ordinary’ members of the public challenge incredibly physically fit and well-trained ‘Gladiators’ in a series of strength, agility and endurance-testing feats, which owed more to It’s a Knockout than to the Colosseum.
Wesley 2 Scoops Berry… #Gladiators legend
This is how to destroy the gauntlet pic.twitter.com/E373nQkeOj
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) January 13, 2024
It made household names of the professionals, including Jet, Wolf, Cobra and the iconic Blaze, who had started out as contestant Eunice Huthart.
On Saturday night, Gladiators returned with most of the elements that made the original so popular – the super-fit Gladiators, the lycra, the final tough Travelator climb. It was a hit
An average audience of 6 million felt the power of the #Gladiators on @BBCOne on Saturday night with a peak of 6.4 million tuning in and a 38.2% audience share
Watch now on @BBCiPlayer ⤵️https://t.co/TKEqrIRXJB pic.twitter.com/I4QC0urBdd
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) January 14, 2024
One huge change was the switch from presenting duo Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu to father and son team Bradley and Barney Walsh.
Barney Walsh looks like an AI estate agent. #gladiators
— MostDeaf (@SnoozeActive) January 13, 2024
Barney Walsh looks like an AI estate agent. #gladiators
— MostDeaf (@SnoozeActive) January 13, 2024
The Gladiators revival was genuinely a lot of fun. I’m impressed.
Also Bradley Walsh’s son looks like a middle aged man and a tiny little boy all at the same time. pic.twitter.com/IhDzoHolur
— Dave Brain (@Ornsack) January 13, 2024
This was the public verdict.
1.
I watch gladiators for the competition element pic.twitter.com/x0ivRnTMZW
— R Y L A N (@Rylan) January 14, 2024
2.
After 25 years, my chief source of enjoyment on #Gladiators hasn't changed one bit – watching someone get a 5 minute video package talking about their hopes and dreams, cheered on by their loved ones, only to get absolutely leathered by some 7ft monster within 3 seconds
— Ross McCafferty (@RossMcCaff) January 14, 2024
3.
Gladiators is back on the telly on a Saturday night and we’re about to get a Labour government. It could almost be 1996, if you pretended that we have original pop culture and everything wasn’t complete and utter shit, that is.
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) January 13, 2024
4.
It really fucked me up as a kid when Eunice was the best ever contestant on Gladiators and then she showed up AS A GLADIATOR and I was meant to just accept it.
— Sooz Kempner (@SoozUK) January 13, 2024
5.
Gladiators would be much better if every contestant was their local dangerous Pub Nutter.
— Von Mooms ♀️ (@Danny_McMoomins) January 14, 2024
6.
Giant from #Gladiators "eats 7 meals a day" So do I. Although four of them are Crisps. pic.twitter.com/U9TlIMKxTQ
— Drivelcast (@drivelcast) January 13, 2024
7.
They're not 'Gladiators' though, are they? It's just physically fit people playing games. It should be called Physically Fit People Playing Games.
— Von Mooms ♀️ (@Danny_McMoomins) January 14, 2024
8.
#Gladiators was excellent. 9/10. Disappointed at the lack of leg guitar but it’s early days. pic.twitter.com/j87GK6qnUs
— The Tea Boy (@_theteaboy) January 13, 2024
9.
Gladiators is mint. Gutted I haven’t got any Micro Chips to eat while watching it x
— Buckers (@deathofbuckley) January 13, 2024
10.
Anyone else saying 3, 2, 1 in a Scottish accent? #Gladiators pic.twitter.com/HlU1MqFOpQ
— Eilis Brennan (@eilisbrennan) January 13, 2024
11.
Man wakes up from a coma after 30 years no idea what the year it is. Nurse tells him Shed Seven are number 1 and gladiators is about to start.
— Wayne Shirley (@whirley84) January 13, 2024