Gladiators star Giant reportedly admitted to taking steroids in resurfaced YouTube videos after joining the line-up of the newly rebooted game show.
Giant, whose real name is Jamie Christian-Johal, allegedly spoke about using the ‘muscle-boosting’ class C drugs in YouTube videos, which resurfaced after his debut on the show.
The ex-professional bodybuilder – who said he no longer uses steroids after coming off them more than a year ago – reportedly boasted about his ‘phenomenal gains’ in online videos, with one said to be titled ‘Take this and you will get big’.
An insider has claimed that the situation is a ‘nightmare’ for the BBC, after the hugely successful reboot attracted a whopping 6.4million viewers.
A source told The Sun: ‘This is a nightmare for the BBC, it’s a family show and they’ve somehow not spotted this material from its biggest star.’
Gladiators star Giant reportedly admitted to taking steroids in resurfaced YouTube videos after joining the line-up of the newly rebooted game show
Giant, whose real name is Jamie Christian-Johal, allegedly spoke about using the ‘muscle-boosting’ class C drugs in YouTube videos, which resurfaced after his debut on the show
In one YouTube video, Giant, 37, reportedly declared that he ‘didn’t start taking steroids until I was 24 years old’.
However, the former fireman said he no longer takes steroids after ‘responsibly’ coming off them in late 2022 – when he stopped competing as a bodybuilder – and insisted he doesn’t advocate the use of them.
He told The Sun: ‘[Whilst I was a professional bodybuilder] I spoke openly about the legal use of performance enhancements as a competitive bodybuilder and how to safely administer them.
‘I stopped competing as a bodybuilder in October 2022 and responsibly came off steroids.’
MailOnline has contacted Giant’s representatives and the BBC for comment.
It was previously reported that BBC bosses overseeing the reboot are hell-bent on keeping the newly-rebooted series ‘clean as a whistle’.
After the original Gladiators show was embroiled in scandals and drug abuse, it was claimed that the new stars will have to undergo regular tests.
Some stars from the original 1990s ITV game show were involved in a number of steroid controversies.
The ex-professional bodybuilder reportedly boasted about his ‘phenomenal gains’ in online videos, with one said to be titled ‘Take this and you will get big’
Giant has insisted he no longer takes steroids after ‘responsibly’ coming off them in late 2022 – when he stopped competing as a bodybuilder – and said he doesn’t advocate the use of them
Former star Warren Furman, who was better known as Ace, previously admitted he dabbled in banned steroids in a bid to bulk up and that he was warned by bosses he would be sacked if he didn’t stop.
Born in London, Shadow became addicted to crack cocaine in his teens. Joining the Gladiators in 1992, Jefferson King, 62, was sacked in 1995 after a drugs test.
Hawk, whose real name is Aleks Georgijev, also confessed to taking the drug, while Cobra (Michael Wilson) admitted he was often drunk when he battled on the show.
Gladiators returned to British screens last week, 24 years after the hit 1990s show’s last series.
The popular game show, which was originally broadcast on ITV from 1992 to 2000, sees contestants battle highly trained athletes called ‘gladiators’ in gruelling physical challenges.
Gladiators returned to British screens last week, 24 years after the hit 1990s show’s last series and its debut episode attracted a whopping 6.4million viewers
And people came out in force to watch the BBC reboot, with its debut episode attracting a whopping 6.4million viewers.
According to BBC ratings, an average audience of 6million, with a peak of 6.4million, tuned in to see how the contenders fared against the new superhuman Gladiators – Fury, Apollo, Fire, Legend, Dynamite, Giant, Sabre, Steel, Electro, Phantom, Athena, Nitro, Diamond and Viper.
The opening show saw contenders Finley, Myles, Kerry and Tascha take on the fearsome Gladiators in classic events such as Duel and Hang Tough, as well as new events The Ring and Collision.
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