Youngest Gladiators winner says a ‘punch within the face’ began her run to glory
The youngest-ever Gladiators winner has revealed what sparked her journey of ‘active and violent side quests’ which would lead her to be crowned the latest champion of the superhuman game show
Emily Bell, 23(Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Gladiators winner Emily Bell says her journey to victory started with a “punch in the face”. The show’s youngest ever champ at 23 years old, said she caught the competitive bug when she signed up for a charity boxing match.
She was still at Cambridge Uni at the time – studying Modern and Medieval Languages – when she was inspired to enter the ring. And the training sessions were gruelling, to say the least. Emily says: “Eight weeks. You sign up, do a load of boxing sessions, a lot of very intense sessions. Boxing training is no joke.
“It is very, very intensive and then a fight at the end of it. I think that really kicked off my active, violent side quests.” But there’s certainly more to Emily than her athletic achievements.
The former straight-A student, from south London, is a bit of a polymath, who can speak several languages including French, Spanish and Catalan. She’s currently studying Dutch and British sign language to add them to the list.
The champ is also a seasoned rugby pro, who plays as a winger for the league club London Broncos. And when she stumbled on the BBC’s Gladiators reboot in 2024, she was immediately taken with fellow rugby star Jodie Ounsley.
Jodie, who appears under the nickname Fury, has played rugby sevens for England. Renowned for her speed and power, she is also the first deaf Gladiator to take part in the series. Emily, who works in marketing, was just an armchair fan until she saw an appeal at the end of an episode. It urged viewers: “If you think you can do this, sign up now.”
She says: “I thought go on then, why not? And the next thing you know I send them an email. Then I had a try out.” Before long, she was on telly competing with some of Britain’s fittest and most fearless athletes. She admits it was intimidating at times, especially given her age.
“I always do feel like the baby in certain spaces, but for the baby to be able to do this is crazy,” she adds. In a happy coincidence, Emily took home the women’s trophy on the very same day of both the final – filmed in the summer of 2025 – and her 23 rd birthday. It brought back happy memories when the episode aired on March 28.
Meanwhile Joshua McDonald, a 27-year-old fitness coach from Glasgow, came out on top in the men’s contest. Emily says hearing the whole Gladiators crowd, at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, singing her happy birthday was one of the highlights of the season. “How many people has that happened to?” she says.
Her other top moments both involved Duel, which sees contenders take on Gladiators with padded pugil sticks. She adds: “Starting my experience surviving Cyclone on Duel, then ending it knocking off Sabre – there is simply no feeling like it.”
Emily is now urging fellow fans to sign up for a future series – provided they’ve got what it takes. And she’s keen to encourage anyone to put themselves out there to pursue their hobbies, passions and “sidequests”.
She says: “I’d say honestly, self-belief is so important. Rely on those around you, the support you have, but make sure you’re investing in yourself and practicing that mentality of believing in yourself.
“And just saying yes to more things because you just never know what you could achieve if you just go and try it.”
Casting a loving glance at her trophy, she adds: “This has been probably my best sidequest to date so I’m keen to find one to maybe top it. I’ve loved both the sporting, competitive and the TV element of it. So anything in those three.”
But first of all, she’s planning to chill out on a well-deserved holiday. “I think the sky’s the limit,” she says. “But for now, it’s rest”
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