Gladiators 2024 cast: Meet the new line-up

But this year there are some new introductions to the game, with two new games and two new Gladiators!

Taken from the original series, Atlaspheres is back, along with a brand new event called Unleash.

"The contenders start in a smoke-filled tunnel and race around a track and up some steps to grab the winning flag, but an unknown Gladiator is unleashed behind them trying to chase them down," Barney Walsh explained. "You’re going to love it!"

So, who are the Gladiators? From an England rugby union player and a Fitness YouTuber to a Team GB bobsledder, read on for everything you need to know about the cast in the 2025 series.

Gladiators 2025 cast: Who's in the line-up?

• Giant – Jamie Christian Johal
• Legend – Matt Morsia
• Fire – Montell Douglas
• Nitro – Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
• Diamond – Livi Sheldon
• Fury – Jodie Ounsley
• Steel – Zack George
• Comet – Ella-Mae Rayner
• Bionic – Matty Campbell
• Electro – Jade Packer
• Phantom – Toby Olubi
• Viper – Quang Luong
• Athena – Karenjeet Kaur Bains
• Cyclone - Lystus Ebosele
• Hammer - Tom Wilson

Cyclone - Lystus Ebosele

Age: 23

Job: Powerlifter

Instagram: @fit.stys

Cyclone, real name Lystus Ebosele, is an Irish powerlifter who considers herself to be the ultimate all-round athlete.

According to her Instagram, Lystus is an 84+ Junior World Champion, and ahead of her appearance on the series, she said: "I’ve got the look, I’ve got the energy and I’ve got the muscles."

Hammer - Tom Wilson

Age: 32

Job: Personal trianer

Instagram: @tomjackwilson1

Tom Wilson is a world rowing champion and claims that the combination of his strength and speed, at the height and size that he is, is rare – and sets him apart from everyone else.

"When you’ve got 19 stone sprinting at you, you’ve got no chance. I’m getting you," he said on the announcement of his casting.

Giant – Jamie Christian Johal

Age: 39

Job: Bodybuilder

Instagram: @akathegiant

Bodybuilder Jamie Christian Johal stands at a whopping 6ft 5in and made history by becoming one of the all-time tallest bodybuilders – so it’s no wonder his Gladiator nickname is ‘Giant’.

“I feel like everything in life has led me here and can’t wait to share this new adventure with you all,” he told his 141,000 Instagram followers.

Legend - Matt Morsia

Age: 38

Job: Fitness YouTuber and personal trainer

Instagram: @mattdoesfitness

Twitter: @MattDoesFitness

Fitness YouTuber Matt Morsia has one million Instagram followers, thanks to his inspirational content. Now, the personal trainer will be taking on the show as ‘Legend’.

“The 9 year old me would absolutely lose his mind and I can’t believe I’m writing this, but Saturday nights on BBC One are about to get wild because… I’M GONNA BE A GLADIATOR!!” Matt shared.

“I watched every single episode of the original Gladiators as a kid back in the '90s (had a life size poster of Wolf on my wall for like 5 years) so this is an absolute life goal for me. It’s been in the pipeline for over a year now (has killed me not being able to say anything) but I can finally announce that LEGEND is about to become the sickest Gladiator the world has ever seen.”

Fire - Montell Douglas

Age: 38

Job: Team GB bobsledder

Instagram: @montytrackstar

Twitter: @MontyTrackStar

Montell - or ‘Monty’ - Douglas is already a huge name in the sports industry.

Originally a sprinter and former British record holder for the 100 metres at 11.05 seconds, Montell switched her discipline to bobsledding in 2016 and competed last year at the Winter Olympics.

“Not me being a whole GLADIATOR!!!” Montell told her Instagram followers. “@gladiatorstv was THAT show! 6-year-old me remembers seeing the iconic Glads in the arena squaring up to the contenders brave enough to take them on and putting on the biggest fight I'd ever seen on TV.

“Never would I have imagined I'd be one of them! Throughout my career as an Olympic Sprinter turned Bobsledder... I can now add GLADIATOR. About to embark on the biggest journey of my life and I can't wait to take you all with me!”

Nitro - Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Age: 36

Job: Team GB sprinter

Instagram: @aikines

Twitter: @HarryAA100m

Named the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2005, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey says he "couldn’t be more pumped" to be a Gladiator.

“This is like a dream come true, the kind that makes you pinch yourself just to make sure it's real," he said. "Years of blood, sweat and tears have led me to this moment, and let me tell you, I've been sculpted into an absolute powerhouse by watching those Gladiators on TV as a child.

"But guess what? Now it's my turn to step foot in that electrifying arena and take on all contenders! Are they ready for the hurricane of intensity that's about to hit them?”

He continued: “Picture this: a young kid from an estate, turning the games we played into an art form. Power Ball and The Wall were my go to choices, and boy, did they fuel my competitive fire! Gladiators taught me invaluable lessons about pushing myself to the limit, celebrating victory like a champion, and graciously accepting defeat.

“And now, it's my mission to inspire and pass on the torch to all those mini gladiators out there, because they deserve to unleash their inner warriors too!”

Diamond - Livi Sheldon

Age: 30

Job: Bodybuilder and online coach

Instagram: @livi_sheldon

Online coach Livi Sheldon’s ethos is "helping women glow up and become strong AF", so we can’t wait to see her inspire on our screens.

The personal trainer and bodybuilder stands at a statuesque 6ft tall and previously played football for Worcester City Ladies team.

Describing the experience as "a dream come true", Livi added: “If there was an opportunity I could wish for this would be it! This truly is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me and I can’t wait to get in the arena! I’ve been training for duel since I was 9 years old!”

Fury - Jodie Ounsley

Age: 23

Job: England rugby union player

Instagram: @jodieounsley

Twitter: @_jodieounsley

Yorkshire-born Jodie Ounsley will be making history as the show’s first deaf Gladiator, but her talents don’t stop there – the honorary president of UK Deaf Sport also plays for the country’s women’s rugby union team.

“I am absolutely buzzing to be announced as a gladiator in the new comeback series of @gladiatorstv!” Jodie revealed. “This opportunity is truly surreal for me, as I grew up watching my dad as a contender on the previous series. I never imagined that one day I would have the chance to be a GLADIATOR.

“I can't wait to get started and give my all as ‘Fury’. I'm looking forward to pushing myself to new limits and hopefully inspiring others to chase their dreams along the way.”

Steel - Zack George

Age: 34

Job: CrossFit athlete

Instagram: @zackgeorge

Twitter: @zackgeorgeuk

CrossFit star Zack George can’t wait to join the cast of Gladiators, where he will go by the moniker ‘Steel’.

The athlete – who has graced the cover of Men’s Health magazine and was named fittest in the UK in 2020 – told his Instagram followers: “What a journey I’ve been on… from being a very overweight and self-conscious kid to a @crossfitgames athlete/ men’s health cover model and now a GLADIATOR.

“I have very mixed emotions right now and it’s hard to really enjoy the moment because this decision means I have to let down the rest of my CrossFit team. Unfortunately, these opportunities don’t come around too often, and having recently become a dad I have to think about my family and what’s best for them.”

Zack added: “I used to look at the old gladiators and think they were superhuman. My aim on this next journey of my life is to hopefully motivate and inspire as many people as I can to chase any dreams that you have.”

Comet - Ella-Mae Rayner

Age: 29

Job: Fitness model and coach

Instagram: @ellamaerayner

Twitter: @ellamaerayner

A former elite gymnast, Ella-Mae Rayner became a semi-professional diver before studying Sports Science at university, where she coached and competed in the University Cheerleading Championships.

She discovered her passion for the gym after suffering an ankle injury, and now trains a seriously impressive six times every week, alongside her work as a fitness model and coach.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be Comet," she said. "I loved watching Gladiators growing up. I specifically remember Jet, she was an icon for me as a child and one of the reasons I become a gymnast. I can’t believe I will be following in her footsteps. It really is a dream come true."

Bionic - Matty Campbell

Age: 29

Job: Bodybuilder

Instagram: @matty__campbell

Twitter: n/a

Bodybuilder Matty Campbell stands at a towering 6ft 6in. He had hoped to become a professional footballer as a youngster, and reached academy level, however a car crash changed his trajectory.

While he was undergoing rehabilitation after the accident, he fell in love with the gym and started gaining muscle, leading him to start bodybuilding.

“Never in a million years did I expect to get the call to be a Gladiator, it's a feeling that’ll never sink in," he said. "I’m just a normal lad from Teesside! All the training and hard work has finally paid off for me, I can’t wait to get started!”

Electro - Jade Packer

Age: 26

Job: Sports model, fitness coach and hybrid athlete

Instagram: @jade_packer

Twitter: n/a

Jade Packer started her athletic career as a sprinter, and was ranked in the top 10 fastest runners in the UK at the tender age of 12 for 150 metres.

She went on to compete in 100 metres and 200 metres races at various championships and eventually got into bodybuilding at the age of 18.

These days she trains in CrossFit, incorporating her varied athletic background into her workouts, though she reckons that running is "still her forte".

"I hope Electro can spark an unstoppable pursuit for a new generation of athletes," she said. "I’m ready to light up the arena with a different kind of energy".

Phantom - Toby Olubi

Age: 37

Job: Bobsledder

Instagram: @tobyolubi

Twitter: @tobyolubiGB

Olympic bobsledder Toby competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. In the same season, he and his teammates broke the world record for the fastest ever bobsleigh and won Great Britain's first ever gold medal in the Whistler World Cup. He was also crowned the fastest bobsledder in the UK push championships for four consecutive years, from 2015 to 2019.

As if that wasn't achievement enough, he has also sprinted at domestic level, frequently competing in the British men's 100 metre sprint Olympic qualifying championships.

"This is a dream come true for me," he said. "I’m a 90’s kid so the Gladiators of past were my version of real life superheroes. Now I’ve got the chance to don the big “G” and be an inspirational figure myself.

"Gladiators is all about stepping up against the odds and bringing the best version of yourself. We will be given the biggest entertainment platform to represent that ethos and I couldn’t be more proud and grateful to be a Gladiator…. Let the show begin!"

Viper - Quang Luong

Age: 35

Job: Fitness model

Instagram: @viperthegladiator

Twitter: n/a

Quang Luong has spent the past 15 years focusing on fitness, and has even appeared in the James Bond movie Die Another Day as a gangster.

"I was born to be a Gladiator," he said. "I am strong, powerful and just like a Viper I can attack with speed”.

Athena - Karenjeet Kaur Bains

Age: 28

Job: Powerlifter and chartered accountant

Instagram: @karenjeet_bains

Twitter: N/A

Karenjeet Kaur Bains' Gladiator name is a nod to the Greek goddess of war and wisdom. She has a seriously impressive track record as a powerlifter: she was the first Sikh woman to represent Britain in the World and European Championships, and has also won three gold and two silver Commonwealth medals.

And as if that wasn't enough, she is a five time All England powerlifting champion and five time British powerlifting champion - plus she holds the Guinness World Record for most bodyweight squats in a minute. We're feeling exhausted just thinking about it.

As the first Sikh Gladiator, she can't wait to inspire people of all backgrounds. "I represent all those from diverse and minority backgrounds, especially women, that have ever been denied the opportunity to pursue their dreams in sport," she said.

"I hope I can be a role model and show the levels a female can achieve, if she is given the opportunity to follow her passion and given the wings to fly!"

Sabre - Sheli McCoy

Age: 36

Job: Athlete

Instagram: @sheli_mccoyofficial

X/Twitter: @SheliMccoy

Sheli McCoy takes on the alter ego of Sabre on Gladiators, describing her as "playful, athletic, energetic but with a killer instinct", which viewers have no doubt seen much of during the series.

Speaking of why she wanted to become a Gladiator, Sabre said: "It wasn't that I set out to become a Gladiator - Gladiator life chose me. I have always set out to be the best version of myself, whether that's in health, fitness, as a representative to younger females. Ultimately, I did think I was waiting on something, I didn't know it would be as amazing as Gladiators though!"

Apollo - Alex Gray

Age: 33

Job: Former Rugby Union player

Instagram: @alexander_thegrayt

X/Twitter: N/A

According to Alex, Apollo is like Superman, but with a sense of human. "Big and fast, like a rocket, and hotter than the sun," he said.

Gray loved working with Bradley and Barney Walsh on the series, hailing them as "absolute pros at what they do".

He continued: "There were a lot of funny moments, and there was always banter flying around between them and us Gladiators.

Dynamite - Emily Steel

Age: 21

Job: Swimmer and CrossFit athlete

Instagram: @dynamite_thegladiator

X/Twitter: N/A

Emily is the youngest Gladiator out of the bunch, but she is not prepared to let that hold her back, which was part of the reason she signed up.

"As a young athlete I felt like it was an opportunity to inspire young girls and make them think, 'Oh, I can go to the gym, I can train and be just as strong'," she explained.

"I've done sport all my life, so I felt like it was giving me an opportunity to showcase my sporting talents and hopefully inspire others too."

Gladiators returns on Saturday 18th January at 5:50pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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