Gladiators (UK TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Gladiator (disambiguation).
See also: Gladiators (2008 UK TV series)
Gladiators
Image:Gladiators logo.JPG
Gladiators Logo used from 1992-2000
Format Sport
Starring Ulrika Jonsson
(All Series)
John Fashanu
(Series 1 - 5 & 8)
Jeremy Guscott
(Series 6 - 7)
John Sachs
(Commentator)
John Anderson
(Referee)
Country of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
No. of series 8 (Main Series)
2 (International Series)
2 (Ashes Series)
2 (Springbok Challenge Series)
4 (Train 2 Win Series)
No. of episodes 132
Production
Running time 60mins (inc. comms)
Broadcast
Original channel ITV
Picture format 4:3
(1992 - 1998)
16:9
(1999 - 2000)
Original run 10 October 1992 – 1 January 2000
Chronology
Followed by Gladiators (2008-present)

Gladiators was a British television series produced by LWT for ITV from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000. It is an adaptation of the United States game show American Gladiators, which has developed a cult following in the UK through its late night TV showings. An Australian spin-off followed. A revival of the show is currently being aired on Sky One.

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.

Despite being made by London Weekend Television, all episodes of Gladiators and International Gladiators were recorded at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. Gladiators: The Ashes 1 and Gladiators: Springbok Challenge 2, however, was filmed on the sets of the Australian and South African versions of the shows respectively.

Contents

[edit] The Gladiators

[edit] 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; Legends 2008 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; Legends 2008 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); Legends 2008 Jennifer Stoute
Rio Seasons 5-8; Wembley 1996; Springbok Challenge 1-2 Jane Omorogbe
Rocket Season 6; Springbok Challenge 1; Royal Tournament 2; Legends 2008 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

[edit] Male

Gladiator name Career Real name
Ace Seasons 5-8; Wembley 1996; The Ashes 2; Springbok Challenge 1-2; Legends 2008 Warren Furman
Bullitt Wembley 1993 Mike Harvey
Cobra Seasons 1-8; Wembley 1993, 1994, 1996; International Gladiators 1-2; Sheffield 1995; Springbok Challenge 2 Michael Willson
Diesel Season 7 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; Legends 2008 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; Legends 2008 Mark Griffin
Vulcan Season 7; 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; Legends 2008 Michael Van Wijk

[edit] The events

Main article: List of Gladiators events

[edit] The contenders

Applicants who wanted to take part in the show had to go through fitness tests to 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 three women's champion Eunice Huthart earned great recognition, and briefly presented late night television before becoming a stunt double.

[edit] 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]

After the Wembley live shows in 1993 Phoenix, Flame & Hawk were sensationally sacked from the show having polled the lowest amount of votes in a magazine.

"Shadow" was sacked from the show in 1994, after a newspaper uncovered evidence that he had taken drugs.

"Warrior" after being arrested for a fire arms offence found himself also cut from the show in 1998.

Contender Nicola Bawden caused controversy following the very first game of "The Wall" after she literally gave Scorpio the slip. Scorpio had managed to get hold of her, but she slipped off moments later and dropped to the floor. It turned out that Bawden had greased her legs so Scorpio could not get a firm grip of her. It also turned out that Bawden had undone her laces so that Scorpio could not hold onto her trainers. Strangely, Bawden was not disqualified for this.

[edit] John Anderson

John Anderson has been the head official for all nine series (including the revival). Before every event he called: "Contender ready! Gladiator ready!," similar to his American counterpart, Larry Thompson, but also he added a countdown, "Three! Two! One!" before starting the match. His strictness was thought to be an act since he allowed cheating[citation needed]. During celebrity specials Anderson took a more light-hearted attitude to the show such as adapting his call to "Little contender ready!" when Willie Carson took part.

Former American League (Major League Baseball) umpire Al Kaplon adopted Anderson's countdown before the whistle in the 2008 US revival.

[edit] 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").

[edit] Celebrity specials

Four celebrity specials were produced during the shows history. The first one, in 1993 was aired in the week between semi-final 2 and the final and the other three in 1994, 1996 and 1997 were aired over the Christmas period.

[edit] 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) Celebrities Team (Bradley Walsh, Mark Speight, Paul Ross, Mr. Motivator, Sam Kane)

[edit] International shows

While the show itself was inspired by the USA's American Gladiators, the UK show inspired many other countries to start their own series. The first two countries to get in on the act after the US and UK were Russia 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 until discussions erupted in the United States in 2007 about a revival.

[edit] Legends 2008

Gladiators Wolf, Lightning, Flame, Hunter, Trojan, Ace, Rebel & Rocket made a welcome return to Gladiators in the new revamped 2008 series competing as special contenders against the might of the new Gladiators. The outcome of the "Legends Special" is as of yet unknown and is expected to be broadcast as the last episode in the current series on Sky One sometime in August 2008.

Because of copyright issues with ITV the Legends were not allowed to wear their trademark Gladiator costumes for the Charity special and instead had brand new costumes made especially for the show.

[edit] External links