Gladiators‘ celebrity special left ex BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin bleeding after she was injured during one of the show’s many gruelling physical challenges.
The broadcaster, 56, joined Rob Beckett, 38, Joel Dommett, 39, and Ellie Taylor, 41, to battle it out against the resident bodybuilders and Olympians for the spin-off which airs on News Year’s Day.
The physically challenging game show was resurrected by the BBC in January, 32-years after its original ITV launch and 16-years after Sky One scrapped an earlier revival.
Louise shared insight into filming and revealed she’d been left injured after getting kicked in the face: ‘I don’t know who cut my nose but there was blood’.
‘When they’re fighting you, you can’t feel the pain. But being tackled by them is like hitting a brick wall. I just had these extra-ordinarily powerful legs kicking out at me. Honestly, they’re units!’.
Meanwhile comedian Rob revealed how he did everything possible to leave host Bradley Walsh, 64, who presents alongside son Barney, 27, in stitches with a string of racy quips.
Gladiators ‘ celebrity special left ex BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin, 56, bleeding after she was injured during one of the show’s many gruelling physical challenges
The broadcaster joined Rob Beckett, 38 (pictured) Joel Dommett, 39, and Ellie Taylor, 41, for the spin-off which airs on News Year’s Day
(L-R) Rob Beckett, Ellie Taylor, hosts Bradley Walsh and Barney Walsh, Louise Minchin, Joel Dommett
When asked what his Gladiator name would be, Rob cheekily exclaimed: ‘Beaver!’ to which the shocked host replied: ‘Have you got another one? This is tea-time telly.’
As the studio audience roared with laughter the funnyman explained: ‘It’s because of my teeth, Bradley. What are you thinking? Beavers are strong and aggressive, good in water, that won’t help here but that’s why I’m the beaver. I’m an angry beaver, I’m up for it.’
Meanwhile The Masked Singer host Joel admitted: ‘Rob and I wanted to give Bradley a bit of stick. I mean, it’s an incredible thing to see 5,000 people shouting ‘Beaver!’ over and over again.
‘It’s good fun trying to make him laugh, and put him off.’
Elsewhere actress Ellie, who appeared on 2022’s Strictly, concluded the Gladiators were much more scary than the BBC dancing show’s judges.
She joked: ‘I think the Gladiators, because the Strictly judges can’t hurt you. They can just emotionally destroy you. It’s different levels of pain.’
Ellie, who shares two children with husband Phil Black, also revealed she had a secret girl crush on Gladiator Fury whose real name is Jodie Ounsley.
‘Luckily, she didn’t tackle me. I just got a little fireman’s carry and I felt like a dainty lady for once. And I got to play bongos on her bum! I love it, it’s really fun.’
Louise revealed that she’d been left injured during filming after getting kicked in the face: ‘I don’t know who cut my nose but there was blood’
‘When they’re fighting you, you can’t feel the pain. But being tackled by them is like hitting a brick wall’ (Pictured on BBC Breakfast in 2021)
Meanwhile comedian Rob revealed how he did everything possible to leave host Bradley Walsh , 64, who presents alongside son Barney, 27, in stitches with a string of racy quips
When asked what his Gladiator name would be, Rob (left) cheekily exclaimed: ‘Beaver!’ to which a shocked Bradley replied: ‘Have you got another one? This is tea-time telly’
The Masked Singer host Joel admitted: ‘Rob and I wanted to give Bradley a bit of stick. I mean, it’s an incredible thing to see 5,000 people shouting ‘Beaver!’ over and over again
Elsewhere actress Ellie, who appeared on 2022’s Strictly, concluded the Gladiators were much more scary than the BBC dancing show’s judges
‘I think the Gladiators, because the Strictly judges can’t hurt you. They can just emotionally destroy you. It’s different levels of pain’ (pictured with Strictly partner Johannes Radebe)
In April, it was confirmed that Gladiators was set for a return to the BBC with a celebrity spin-off after the rebooted show became a ratings smash.
Its arrival on the prime time Saturday night schedule proved to be a ratings winner for the BBC, with 28 day viewing figures revealing 9.8million tuned in for the first episode.
The sizeable audience share turned it into the most successful launch for an entertainment show on the BBC in seven years, with an average 8.3million viewers watching across the entire eleven episodes.
Its success means Gladiators will return with a second series that is expected to include at least one celebrity-led version of the show, typically contested by members of the public, in 2025.
Ellie, who shares two children with husband Phil Black, also revealed she had a secret girl crush on Gladiator Fury whose real name is Jodie Ounsley
‘Luckily, she didn’t tackle me. I just got a little fireman’s carry and I felt like a dainty lady for once. And I got to play bongos on her bum! I love it, it’s really fun’ (Fury pictured
Gladiators: Celebrity Special is on BBC1 and iPlayer New Year’s Day 6pm
‘I can reveal we are going to do a celebrity special,’ Executive Producer and Hungry Bear Media Managing Director Dan Baldwin, husband of TV presenter Holly Willoughby, told Radio 4.
‘You always look at old shows that are no longer on television. You are always coming up with new ways of bringing back a show.’
He added: ‘It’s no exaggeration to say that the response to Gladiators has been phenomenal. The episodes have been packed with nail-biting drama, thrilling action and huge emotion.
‘Series 2 will see the show go from strength-to-strength. We have some amazing surprises in store for the fans. Are you ready?!?’
The popular game show was originally broadcast on ITV from 1992 to 2000, before returning for a single series on Sky One in 2008.
Gladiators: Celebrity Special is on BBC1 and iPlayer New Year’s Day 6pm