The beloved show premiered 25 years ago today.
In the pantheon of memorable quotes, the iconic instruction from the Gladiators referee John Anderson must rank pretty highly. “Contenders, you will go on my first whistle. Gladiators, you will go on my second whistle. 3… 2… 1…”
If you were raised in the ’90s then there was only one show to watch at teatime every Saturday.
Who didn;t love the panto-style villain that’s known as Wolfman, Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena constantly singing along to We Will Rock You, or those famous 9 obstacles of hell, more commonly known as The Eliminator.
And yes, there’s always a special appreciation for Jet because Diane Youdale became something of a cult icon. In fact, since the beloved show ended, she has become a TV presenter, broadcaster, and psychotherapist.
Prepare t feel old because the very first episode of the nostalgic show premiered 25 years ago today, and to mark this special occasion, Jet (Diane Youdale), Hunter (James Crossley), Panther (Helen O’Reilly), Ace (Warren Furman) and referee John Anderson joined Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning.
Reflecting on her time on the show as Jet, Youdale said: “Injuries aside, it was amazing. A lot of the guys bounced back. I bruised my spinal cord quite badly and left after four and a half years.
Ace (Warren Furman) revealed that he’s now “a Gladiator for the gospel,’ while Panther (Helen O’Reilly) said that “it was great to inspire so many people to be able to be strong and feminine at the same time.”
We love the fact that John Anderson still seems like he’s raring to go on another version of the show!
Take a look at some of the Gladiators reuniting on the couch.
