If you told me I’d win my first episode of Gladiators, I’d be beyond ecstatic

Fitness trainer Betti Worth explains what it was like to fulfil her childhood dream of running the infamous television gauntlet

My dad passed away in 2017 but I know that he’s looking down at me now, proud of all that our hard work accomplished (Nick Eagle/BBC/Hungry Bear)

If you’d have told me when I was a little girl, sitting down with my family on a Saturday evening to watch Gladiators, that one day I’d be up there running obstacles, dodging projectiles and duelling giants with the rest of the contenders… well, I’d be over the moon. And if you told me I’d win my very first episode, I’d be beyond ecstatic.

I’ve always been competitive, ever since I was a kid. I used to dance – ballet and the like – but it didn’t take long for my dad to realise that I was more suited to the sorts of sports my older brother Nathan would play. I was encouraged to join football teams, after-school clubs, karate classes – whatever it took to help hone that competitive spirit.

My mum is a therapist, and when I was little she told me to visualise that I was a lion running fast and competing with meaning and confidence. My mum has got me through some hard times in my life. She is truly the best mum and therapist I know.

It wasn’t just sport, either. When I was 19, I sent emails out every single day – hundreds of them – to help get me a football scholarship so I could continue pursuing my dreams. And it worked! I managed to secure a scholarship at a Community College of Rhode Island and Southern Connecticut State University, and before I knew it I was stateside, growing and learning and getting fitter every day.

My dad passed away in 2017 but I know that he’s looking down at me now, proud of all that our hard work accomplished.

He’d definitely be proud of me these past few months, as I took on the Gladiator eliminator, using all the skills that he helped me hone. The application itself felt like a huge accomplishment – thousands of people apply from all around the UK, so knowing that you’re the one who made the cut is a real affirmation of all your hard work. It’s especially nice because what the BBC looks for in its contenders is authenticity – so when you see me on your TV screen, just know that’s the real me you’re seeing.

Getting to the studio for the first time was scary but exhilarating. There’s nothing like getting out there in front of people and showing them who you are. I’ve had friends joke that it must have been really hard for me because I’m obviously so shy – I think if you see me on the show, you can tell that isn’t the case at all. I know it isn’t for everybody but I loved it.

It still all feels like a complete blur to me. When I got there for the first time, I got to meet so many people and made so many friends (and before you ask, yes, my opponent Tuathlaith and I got on great – even though we knew we’d be competing directly against each other in front of millions of people). The first time I walked out on the stage, I got tears in my eyes because it was all so overwhelmingly joyful. If you look closely in the episode, you can see me there, trying not to well up again.

Every day since then for the past week has been unreal. I get recognised on the street – recently a little girl shouted, “Betti, Gladiators ready?!” across the moors at me, and then told me that her name was Betti too! In what’s perhaps been the funniest interaction so far, a fan got in touch with me on Instagram to show me a Valentine’s Day card that her boyfriend had made for her… with a picture of me on it and a quote from the show! I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being recognised but then, why would I want to? It’s strange and flattering and amazing every single time.

If you’re interested in going on the show, my advice would be this: just be yourself… but make sure it’s the best version of yourself. Being on Gladiators was one of the most physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting experiences of my life, and I don’t know if I could have done it without the support of my mum, my brother Nathan, my sister-in-law Rosie, my niece Dotty, and my incredible partner George. And, as always, I never would have got to this point without my dad. If someone was to ask me if I would be on the show again, I would do it in a heartbeat. It was easily the best experience of my life.

As for the future, anything could happen. I’d love to find myself back on television one day, with my own fitness show. I just want to be in a position to help people be their best and most authentic selves. In the meantime, I do that at my gym in Wigan, The Farm with Betti, where I help people achieve their fitness goals using the same set of skills that brought me here in the first place with a lot of fun, laughter and humour thrown into the mix.

No matter what comes next, all I know is that I’m ready.

Betti Worth is the owner of The Farm with Betti, where she works as a fitness trainer