'Bring me a gigantic Gladiator who can cradle me like a baby!': behind the scenes of the most joyous show on TV

The article discusses the TV show "Gladiators," which features contestants competing against strong, agile competitors known as Gladiators. The show has been revived in recent years with a new generation of Gladiators, including Apollo, Dynamite, Cyclone, and Nitro. The article features interviews with the current cast members, who share their experiences and insights into the world of "Gladiators."The show's producers created the Gladiator characters, then cast them afterwards. Resident baddie Legend, AKA fitness influencer Matt Morsia, did not have to work hard to behave like an arrogant show-off. He vies with Viper – former model Quang Luong – as the reboot's Wolf. When I watched the show in Sheffield, little children screamed with equal terror and delight as Viper rampaged through the stands to rip up their posters.The modern-day Gladiators make most of their money now as social media influencers, but 22-year-old Dynamite – CrossFit and weightlifting champion Emily Steel – is hoping for at least a side hustle in music. Some of the original 90s Gladiators are still profiting from the show. Fabio, the Guardian photographer, tells me that this year alone he has done two shoots with Wolf for a German garage door company. Others have gone in an entirely different direction. Hunter is now a gong bath healer.It was the show's producers who came up with the Gladiator characters, then cast them afterwards. Resident baddie Legend, AKA fitness influencer Matt Morsia, did not have to work hard to behave like an arrogant show-off. He vies with Viper – former model Quang Luong – as the reboot's Wolf. When I watched the show in Sheffield, little children screamed with equal terror and delight as Viper rampaged through the stands to rip up their posters.The diversity of Gladiators is praised by Aneila Afsar, who was the first hijabi contestant. Athena, powerlifter Karenjeet Kaur Bains, is Sikh. Fury is deaf. Viper is Chinese. Sabre is Scottish. There is a Gladiator for everyone – apart from perhaps the Welsh. Families of every hue fill the stands. There's a timelessness to the spectacle. Mums shame themselves with lusty poster pitches ("You can spook me any time, Phantom!"), children rush to catch T-shirts shot into the audience with a cannon. If you're ever thinking of watching Gladiators being filmed, I must warn you that it is an 11-hour day. But what a day. They let you in with a picnic and they only close the bar before the Eliminator.Bringing intergenerational joy is the best, Apollo says. "The biggest pat on the back we get is when we meet families and they say, 'You've brought us back together … My kids didn't want to watch anything with us, they're stuck doing PlayStation or YouTube or whatever – this is the only thing they'll sit down and watch with us.'"
 
I think that Gladiators makes a pretty cool comeback, but at the same time, I don't know if it's such a great idea... 🤔 I mean, the new cast members seem super fun and all, but what about those who can't even get into the show because they're scared of getting hurt or just not into that whole competition vibe? On the other hand, I'm totally down for a good ol' fashioned spectacle, especially if it brings families together like that! 🎉 But still, I'm not convinced... 💁‍♀️ I mean, have we thought about how much energy those contestants must be expending to put on a show every day? That sounds exhausting! 😴
 
I still remember watching Gladiators back in the 90s 🤯. It was such a rush! Who would've thought it'd come back like this? The new cast is pretty cool, I mean Dynamo's got some serious CrossFit skills 💪. But what really gets me is how they're all about family and bringing people together - my mum loves watching it with her mates 🤗. And can we talk about the diversity on that show? It's so great to see different cultures and backgrounds represented 👏. I'm not sure about Legend being a bit arrogant, but he does bring the heat 🔥. Anyway, 11-hour days might sound crazy, but if it brings people joy like it did for my mum... then it's all worth it 🎉.
 
omg u gotta watch gladiators rn its so lit!! 🤩 i was watching it in sheffield and the crowd was literally screaming with terror & delight when viper was running around like a maniac lol and dont even get me started on the diversity of the gladiators - its like they got every single type of person represented 💯 from fitness influencer matt morsia aka legend to gong bath healer hunter it just makes u feel all warm inside 🤗 apollo said it best tho, bringing families together over gladiators is literally the best thing ever ❤️
 
I loved watching "Gladiators" last year in Sheffield with my squad 🤩🏰 it was such a rush! I think what makes the show so special is that anyone can be a Gladiator, no matter what culture or background you're from. They've really done a great job of creating diverse characters like Viper and Athena 🙌💪 And I love how some of them have found new passions outside of the show, like Dynamite trying to make it as a musician 🎶🔥 It's awesome to see that bringing people together has such a big impact on families. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for more shows with this kind of vibe 💕
 
omg u guys i just watched gladiators with my fave wolf viper (quang luong) he's literally sooo intense 🤯 i was screaming along w/ all the kids in sheffield lol! but what really gets me is how diverse the gladiators are now - from a hijabi contestant to a deaf fury, it's just the best thing ever 🌎💖 and can u believe some of them are even making money off the show as social media influencers? like dynamite (emily steel) wants to start rapping or something 🤯 and i am here for it! i also love how they have a gong bath healer on the show now, that's just amazing 💆‍♀️ anyway what i really wanna say is that gladiators brings people together - families from all over the world coming to watch it, making memories together... it's literally the most beautiful thing 🌈
 
I think the new generation of Gladiators are bringing so much energy to the show 🤩💥! It's awesome that we have a mix of characters from different backgrounds, like Viper being Chinese and Athena being Sikh 🌎👏. The diversity is definitely part of what makes the show so special #DiversityMatters #GladiatorsRevival 💪. And I love how some of them are using their platform to promote fitness and wellness, like Dynamite's CrossFit adventures 🏋️‍♀️💥. It's great that they're also making time for music and other passions outside of the show 🎶👍. The fact that families from all walks of life are coming together to watch and cheer on their favorite Gladiators is just the best ❤️ #GladiatorsForAll #FamilyFun 📺
 
I'm loving how the new "Gladiators" series is mixing up the cast with a diverse range of contestants 🤩. It's awesome to see Aneila Afsar as the first hijabi contestant, Athena as a Sikh powerlifter, and Fury being deaf - it just goes to show that everyone can participate and be part of this adrenaline-packed competition 💪. I also think it's great that they're making an effort to bring families together with the show 🎉. It's not just about the gladiators competing, but also about creating memories for kids (and let's be honest, adults too 😂). And can we talk about how much fun the audience must be having? Like, who wouldn't want a cannon shooting T-shirts into the crowd at some point 🤣. Anyway, I'm down to watch more "Gladiators" and see what other exciting contestants they bring on board 👊!
 
I think it's weird that everyone's making a big deal about the diversity of Gladiators, you know? Like, it's just another bunch of people doing their jobs, right? Aneila Afsar was a contestant, big whoop. And yeah, Athena is Sikh and all that. But let's not forget, there are plenty of other TV shows with diverse contestants too. What's the point in highlighting Gladiators' diversity? It's just like they're trying to be PC or something 🙄
 
omg I just watched an episode of Gladiators with my friends and we were all screaming at the screen 😂👏 I love how diverse the cast is - it's amazing to see people from different backgrounds and cultures working together on a show. And can we talk about the Gladiator characters? They're so iconic! 🤩 From Wolf to Viper, they add this extra level of excitement to the show. I'm also loving Dynamite's music aspirations - here's to her following her dreams 💖
 
I think it's kinda cheesy how they highlight the diversity of Gladiators like it's a big deal 🤔. I mean, yeah, it's cool that there's someone deaf (Fury) and Sikh (Athena), but what about all the other stuff? Like, don't even get me started on Matt Morsia being an arrogant show-off 🙄... wait, do I think he's not? 🤷‍♂️ Ugh, why am I getting my own head tangled up like this?! 😩 The thing is, watching Gladiators in Sheffield with all those screaming kids was actually kinda the best part - it was so chaotic and fun! 🎉 But now that I think about it... does that mean I'm admitting I enjoyed that chaos? 😳
 
Ugh I'm so over how much of my screen real estate is taken up by ads 🙄. Like can't we just watch the content without being bombarded with "shop now" buttons every 2 seconds? And don't even get me started on how they're using our data to serve us targeted ads that are totally irrelevant to what I'm actually interested in browsing... It's like, hello, can't I just have some peace and quiet while I watch Gladiators without being peddled to death? 🤦‍♂️ Also, why do the producers get all the glory for coming up with these amazing Gladiator characters and then we're stuck with a gazillion ads telling us about who sponsored what episode of the show? Can't they just let us enjoy the content in peace? 😒
 
🤔 so I was watching gladiators on telly and I gotta say its like a whole different vibe now compared to when i was younger 📺. The new cast is pretty cool, especially viper dude 💪 he's got this intense energy that makes me wanna be part of the audience screaming with delight 😂. but what really gets me is how they've made it so diverse and inclusive - i mean, gladiators from all walks of life 🌎. its like, there's a gladiator for every culture and background, which is amazing 👏. and its not just about the physical stuff, its about bringing people together too 👫. I was talking to my auntie and she said how much fun it brings back memories of when she was a kid 📚. anyway, I think what I love most is how gladiators has this timeless feel to it - its like nothing can ever change that sense of excitement and thrill 😎
 
omg i loved watching gladiators in my youth!! it's so cool that there are new gladiators now but still got that same energy from back in the day!!! i love how diverse they got & it's awesome to see people of all backgrounds on tv lol 🤩👏 can't believe fabio is now a gong bath healer though 🤣 what's next?? anyway, bravo to the cast for bringing families together like that 🎉💕
 
🤔 just watched an episode of Gladiators and I gotta say its so weird how some guys have found new gigs after being on the show... like Hunter who's a gong bath healer 🧘‍♂️ and others making money off merch 🛍️. but it warms my heart to see families from all walks of life coming together watching this show with their kids 👪. its like they're breaking down barriers and having fun together 💥. and I love how the producers have put in an effort to make the Gladiator characters diverse 🌎👏
 
I remember watching Gladiators in 1996 📺. It was so intense! I used to love watching the Juggernaut and the Wrecking Ball. The original cast was so iconic, like Joe Pasquale and Zoe Ball 😎. It's cool to see that they've revamped the show with a new generation of Gladiators. But what's up with all these side hustles? Like Emily Steel is trying to make it big as a singer 🎤? And Fabio is now working for a German garage door company? I guess when you're a Gladiator, you gotta do whatever it takes to stay relevant 💸. The diversity of the cast is really cool, though. It's awesome that Athena and Aneila are representing their communities on TV. Bring back the classic arena setting, but with some modern twists 🏰💥
 
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