Gladiators returned to our screens tonight with its eagerly awaited second series, but it wasn’t long before the show was hit by a wave of criticism as viewers demanded significant changes.
The BBC’s popular programme brought back the dynamic father-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh to resume their roles as hosts, introducing new contenders ready to challenge the formidable Gladiators.
Kicking off the show, Bradley greeted the audience with: “Welcome back to a brand-new series of Gladiators.” He then turned to his son, remarking: “Barnes, we are back.”
Barney added: “Your favourite Gladiators are all back and ready but this year they are not alone. I can now tell you that throughout the series, we’re going to be revealing some brand-new Gladiators and that’s not all we are going to be introducing some new events.”
However, even before the competition got underway, fans were quick to voice their dissatisfaction, suggesting the show desperately needs a change in presenters and criticising what they see as nepotism and a lack of female representation, reports the Mirror.
One disgruntled viewer posted on X, previously known as Twitter : “Thought they’d add a female presenter to this year’s line-up to shake things up. Barney is great in Casualty but not brilliant on #Gladiators.”
Another expressed their disappointment: “A new series of #Gladiators is excellent, but it’s unfortunate that it means Barney’s back too. The least talented of the Nepo babies.”
Meanwhile, a third queried: “Are we still annoyed by the Barney nepotism or are we over it? #Gladiators.”
Meanwhile, not everyone was critical as one fan leapt to the star’s defence, commenting: “Bit harsh. What more do you expect from him beyond what he is doing? I think Barney Walsh has been doing a great job with Gladiators.”
In other parts of the show, it emerged that Nitro, a fan favourite among the new Gladiators, had to bow out of the latest series due to a severe injury.
The audience didn’t hesitate to express their disappointment at the news, with one viewer posting: “Awww Nitro is out this season i like him, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (his actual name) has always got such a good attitude #gladiators.”
Another lamented: “What a shame about #Nitro @HarryAA100m, my favourite! One of the few glads that doesn’t pointlessly fume when losing. Speedy recovery.”
And another shared their dismay, saying: “Gutted Nitro won’t be competing on Gladiators, he’s a family favourite! #Gladiators.”