UKTV: BBC Gladiators re-launch

[Chainer★]

So the BBC is bringing back the TV show Gladiators. So far, the female camp is lacking in any real muscle. They do have an ex rugby player but … disappointing so far in my opinion-what do you think?

Fire

Fury

Diamond

[Timmon]

Sabre  is a weightlifter and cross fitter and has some  muscle size

Dynamite is the youngest and a swimmer and getting into weightlifting so may get bigger if the series continues and she stays.

Sadly, contest type FBB's are just not quick enough, so they tend to pick athletic physiques rather than full on FBB's. Contestants are put off by facing a big FBB, and even though we have moved on a lot since Gladiators first appeared, the sight of a muscular woman is still shocking to some with closed minds.

I think the most muscular British FBB to appear on British Gladiators was
Rowan Duxbury but she was a contestant rather than a Gladiator.  I expect some British FBB's will apply to be contestants, which may actually be better.

[supergav67]

well, looks like theyre gonna attempt to revive Gladiators  over here. Hosted by bradley Walsh & his son! who else. I dont know the line up but Im not holding my breath for it to be wall to wall with our fav ladies. In the original, our British champ Kimberley anne jones auditione d & was told she was too short,end off. It was filled with gymnasts & track atheletes who,d get berated for losing, one ! weeks notice to say they,d been re-signed, & when stars like Jet got seriously injured, not even offers of panto made it worth it for them. The truth is, while it outlasted many international versions, I think it went on long after american Gladiators finished, it costs too much, even for LWT & Sky, no amount of kiddies watching, contestants wanting to compete & sale of lunch boxes  & cotton - buds recouped the cost of it & the time it takes to set up the games. Even weirder, its the BBC who have to spend licence fee money wisely or else! One things for sure , any female gladiator with a bit of muscle tone,ll scare the snowflakes & get branded muscly & manly by press & viewers who havent seen real muscle like Natalie Edmondson or louise Plumb. In short,like most TV events, a lot of publicity, but it wont last.

[higty456]

I think the time for Gladiators has passed.

Just recently watched the Netflix documentary about the American Gladiators, and it really shows how different times were when Gladiators was on TV. But, in there they said that contestants had to be smaller than the Gladiators as the show needs to work like "David vs Goliath". The BBC is currently all about messaging at the moment, so that will probably go over their heads.

Just the amount of channels available creates a problem as nostalgia cannot keep the new one going. The Sky version shows that. Also, how the BBC acts now means I think they will not allow the show any freedom. I don't think it will last very long.

[Timmon]

According to " Advanced Television"  as at 31st January 2024:

Ratings success for BBC’s Gladiators
January 31, 2024


"The return of Gladiators is now confirmed as the biggest launch for a new Entertainment series in seven years.

Seven-day figures indicate that 8.7 million have now experienced the first episode that features a new generation of Gladiators taking on brave contenders in the ultimate test of speed and strength on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

An average audience of 6 million tuned in to the first episode on launch night, making it the biggest Entertainment launch in the UK since Let it Shine in January 2017.

In addition to this, Gladiators is also a success with young audiences with 1.1 million 16-34 year olds tuning in to episode one (BARB 4-Screen, 7-Days) to date.

As well as the broadcast each Saturday evening on BBC One, the programme is also performing well on BBC iPlayer, with 3.3 million tuning in on iPlayer alone to the launch episode, seeing one of the highest Entertainment VoD audiences to date (BARB 4-Screen, 7-Days).

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, commented: “The return of Gladiators has taken the nation by storm with viewing figures showing that Saturday nights in are back on BBC One for all the family. The hugely popular presenting duo of Bradley and Barney combined with the timeless excitement of seeing the Gladiators and contenders in action means the series continues to captivate audiences across the UK.”  "

https://advanced-television.com/2024/01/31/ratings-success-for-bbcs-gladiators/