Gladiators goes woke! Reboot axes cheerleaders and ‘skimpy’ outfits

In its heyday Gladiators was a groundbreaking manufacturing with greater than 14million viewers.

But now the brand new BBC reboot has gone woke after axing each cheerleaders and sure ‘skimpy’ outfits.

The much-loved Saturday evening staple will probably be again with an eleven-episode collection this Saturday – 30 years on from when it first aired.

The present noticed members of the general public battle it out in opposition to a forged of superhuman-like athletes referred to as gladiators.

Originally hosted by Ukrika Jonsson and John Fashanu, the contestants had been trialled for velocity, ability, stamina and energy.

BBC bosses have made large adjustments to the reboot inflicting concern for followers in considering the present can have gone ‘too woke’.

Today the Mail can reveal one of many greatest adjustments is that the present will not embody cheerleaders, which had been a outstanding a part of the unique.

G-force was a bunch of eight ladies who would carry out an array of dance routines alongside the contestants and gladiators.

The axing of the cheerleaders comes as a shock after Donna Derby, hosts Bradley Walsh’s spouse and Barney Walsh’s mum, was head choreographer in 1992 collection for all eight collection.

Talking in regards to the launch of the reboot Bradley mentioned: ‘Barney’s mum, my spouse, used to choreograph all of the cheerleaders after which subsequently turned an affiliate producer on the present for all of the boys that ran the present initially.

‘I used to go down, I’d watch 5 weeks filming. It was nice being there. And then Barney got here alongside, and I used to stroll Barney round within the pram across the area ground, meet all of the gladiators.

‘He must have been about one. And so it’s a complete household affair.’

Earlier this week the BBC had been additionally accused of nepotism after casting father and son Bradley and Barney Walsh to current the reboot.

Fans of the present are livid that the BBC has forged Barney, 26, alongside Bradley, 63, with out auditioning some other stars for the function.

Bosses had been mentioned to be ‘concerned’ on the signing of the pair, notably due to the companies’ robust insurance policies about going by due course of earlier than hiring employees.

In one other try to make the present extra woke BBC bosses have determined to provide ‘skimpy’ lycra outfits the boot too.

The 1992 present was virtually as well-known for the tiny spandex tops and pants worn by the contestants because it was for the drama and epic clashes.

The feminine costumes had been so tiny that Suzanne Cox, often known as Vogue within the collection, later admitted that she had to make use of bum glue to cease her outfit from shifting misplaced.

Speaking to the GladPod, a podcast that interviews the ex-stars, Cox mentioned: ‘There was a thing we all used to use – I’d by no means used it earlier than, however apparently, it’s a bodybuilding factor, referred to as bum sticks.

‘It’s a bit like a roll-on deodorant, but it surely accommodates pores and skin glue. I don’t assume the blokes used it, however we ladies used to make use of it continually, so after we had been rolling round, our bums didn’t hang around.’

Now the women who will tackle the challengers will probably be carrying aerodynamic outfits favoured by Team GB athletes.

Eager followers of the present have already shared their issues in regards to the reboot going ‘too woke’.

One individual mentioned: ‘I just hope the BBC don’t destroy Gladiators by making it too woke. The British public want a enjoyable Saturday evening present!’

Another mentioned: ‘BBC are rebooting Gladiators. I wonder what woke inclusion twist they’ll do.’

One individual commented: I’m being honest once I say this however please #bbc don’t destroy the present by making it too woke. The British public want a enjoyable Saturday evening present!’

The authentic collection was watched by greater than 14million viewers however was axed in 1999 after the present misplaced greater than half its viewers within the later collection, dropping to 6 million.

And BBC bosses are mentioned to have ‘known they would leave themselves open to a lot of criticism and did not think it was appropriate in 2024’.

Other adjustments to this collection embody extra vigorous drug testing for the contestants.

After the earlier collection was mired in steroid and cocaine scandals, the celebs must bear common assessments.

BBC bosses overseeing the reboot are mentioned to be hell-bent on conserving the collection ‘clean as a whistle’ – with the motto being ‘keep it wholesome’.

In the 90’s ITV present stars similar to Ace, Hawk and Shadow had been uncovered as steroid abusers.

Shadow — Michael Jefferson King, now 62 — spiralled into habit.

He was jailed final 12 months for threatening to kneecap a drug-user over a £1,000 debt.

There have additionally been issues in regards to the variety of accidents the expertise have sustained.

Already whereas filming Gladiators Comet and Sabre have revealed they suffered extreme accidents leaving them unable to compete.

Comet, actual identify Ella-Mae Rayner, took to her Instagram to share snaps of her restoration as she revealed she had damaged her ankle and foot.

The former elite gymnast, 28, needed to bear surgical procedure as docs tried to rebuild her badly injured extremity.

Meanwhile Sabre, actual identify Sheli McCoy, tore her hamstring and has been pressured to make use of crutches.

In her social media put up, she wrote: ‘Sometimes you are the hammer… sometimes you are the nail.

‘While filming for Gladiators I incurred a little battle injury – a hamstring tear.’

The present which begins this Saturday consists of 16 new gladiators.

GB athlete Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, health influencer Matt Morsia and Sheli McCoy, who has competed in 5 British weightlifting and CrossFit championships worldwide, will all seem all through the collection.

The BBC declined to remark.