Gladiators reboot ‘to include major change to female cast’s outfits’

Nineties classic obstacle course will return to television screens later this year

The return of Gladiators will also come with a switch-up of the classic style of uniform, a new report has claimed.

Originally running on ITV from 1992 to 2000, Gladiators was an arena-based competition that saw everyday sport-loving people battle against the “Gladiator” cast in a series of obstacle course challenges.

Last year, it was announced that the programme would make a return to screens, this time on the BBC.

According to a report in The Sun, this rebooted series will feature women’s outfits that are less “revealing” than before.

In the Nineties series, female Gladiators such as Jet, Lightning and Nightshade would frequently compete in an outfit of a sports bra and high-waisted pants.

“These flimsy costumes were deemed acceptable when the show started but they’re probably a bit too revealing today,” an insider told the publication.

“The new ones won’t be too stuffy as they’ll highlight the female stars’ incredible physiques.”

When approached for comment by The Independent, a BBC representative declined to comment on the story, but clarified that the outfits will be “sporty with a nod to the original show”.

Lightning from Gladiators (PH)

Although the exact style of outfits is currently unknown, the broadcaster denied that all women’s costumes would consist of one-pieces, as claimed by the Sun article.

One confirmed change made to the original series is that episodes will now be filmed at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, instead of its previous home in Birmingham. Father-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh will host.

John Fashanu and Ulrika Jonsson presented the original run, while Ian Wright, Kirsty Gallacher and Caroline Flack hosted the first reboot that ran from 2008 to 2009.

Soon after news of the reboot was confirmed, former Gladiators Kim Betts and Sharron Davies, known to fans as Lightning and Amazon, expressed their worries about what modern health and safety regulations would do to the programme.