Gladiators contender gushes over rival Fury as brutal challenges leave them feeling like 'they were in a car crash'

Gladiators has certainly lived up to its name, with one contestant admitting they felt like ‘they’d been in a car crash’ after Saturday’s show.

The BBC reboot has left contenders gushing over the stars, despite an intense clash in The Ring, with contestant Betti Worth taking on rival Fury, real name Jodie Ounsley, during the first challenge.

The 11-episode series sees a new generation of Gladiators pit themselves against the public – from an elite CrossFit athlete from Manchester to a James Bond actor and two Olympians.

Each episode sees the Gladiators take on contenders in new and old games, ending with the iconic challenge, The Eliminator.

After a series of brutal thrashings and tackles from the professional rugby player, Betti, 31, revealed to Barney Walsh on Saturday that Fury was an absolute machine and she felt like she had been in a car crash.

Gladiators has certainly lived up to its name, with one contestant admitting they felt like 'they'd been in a car crash' after Saturday's show

Gladiators has certainly lived up to its name, with one contestant admitting they felt like ‘they’d been in a car crash’ after Saturday’s show

The BBC reboot has left contenders gushing over the stars, despite an intense clash in The Ring, with contestant Betti Worth taking on rival Fury during the first challenge.

The BBC reboot has left contenders gushing over the stars, despite an intense clash in The Ring, with contestant Betti Worth taking on rival Fury during the first challenge.

‘She is an absolute machine. I’ve had some hard tackles in football, where I’ve been rammed into fences, and it felt like a fence… and a car crash,’ she said.

And gym-owner Betti was not the only left impressed by the new star as Irish contestant Tuathlaith Murtagh admitted there was no way to get away from another brutal fighter, Diamond.

The 29-year-old said: ‘It was good, she’s strong! I tried to get round her, but when she caught you, there was no getting away from her.’

Fans fled to X, previously known as Twitter, to heavily gush over glitzy the Gladiators, with many calling Fury and Diamond ‘gorgeous’.

One fan joked: ‘How much does one have to pay to be carried around by Diamond? Asking for a me.’

‘This but to get rugby tackled by Fury.’

‘I think Fury might be my favourite!’

‘Diamond is stunning. My favourite female Gladiator.’

Gym-owner Betti was not the only left impressed by the new star as Irish contestant Tuathlaith Murtagh (pictured) admitted there was no way to get away from another fighter, Diamond

Gym-owner Betti was not the only left impressed by the new star as Irish contestant Tuathlaith Murtagh (pictured) admitted there was no way to get away from another fighter, Diamond

Fans fled to X, previously known as Twitter, to heavily gush over glitzy the Gladiators, with many calling Fury and Diamond 'gorgeous'

Fans fled to X, previously known as Twitter, to heavily gush over glitzy the Gladiators, with many calling Fury and Diamond ‘gorgeous’

‘Diamond from Gladiators… be still my beating heart!’

It comes after Diamond, real name Livi Sheldon, hit back at claims the cast members go easy when competing against members of the public on the show.

Viewers have hit out at the current series, insisting moments are scripted and Gladiators are not as ferocious as the originals.

As Diamond appeared on The One Show on Friday, host Alex Jones asked: ‘You know before you film, do you get to practice on the course? Because the contenders obviously do. Do you get to practice and do you go hard or do you hold back a little bit?’

Diamond responded: ‘We haven’t got to do the eliminator but we have got to practice against each other. We go 50%, we save the 100% for the contenders.’

The BBC has also become embroiled in a nepotism row after casting father and son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh to present the rebooted version of Gladiators.

Bosses are said to be ‘concerned’ at the signing, particularly because of the corporation’s strong policies about going through due process before hiring staff.

Fans of the show are also furious about the casting of Barney, 26, alongside Bradley, 63.

It comes after Diamond, real name Livi Sheldon, (pictured) hit back at claims the cast members go easy when competing against members of the public on the show

It comes after Diamond, real name Livi Sheldon, (pictured) hit back at claims the cast members go easy when competing against members of the public on the show

While Bradley has decades of experience hosting high-profile television programmes, Barney has yet to anchor one.

One BBC staff member told the Mail: ‘It has caused a stink’, adding that the casting has been noticed by the ‘upper echelons’, some of whom ‘aren’t exactly happy’.

Viewers have lambasted the BBC over the appointments. One wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘I’m not convinced Bradley Walsh is right for the show and I’m less convinced his son is. This nepotism is unedifying.’

Another said: ‘Why is the BBC indulging in such utterly blatant nepotism?’

The offspring of celebrities who work in the same industries as their famous parents have been branded ‘nepo-babies’.

Since 2019, Barney has appeared next to his father on their ITV series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad, in which the pair take on challenges while travelling the world.

Bradley’s wife – and Barney’s mother – Donna Derby also has links to Gladiators, as she was head choreographer for the Gladiators cheerleaders in the original 1990s series.

Bradley recently recalled Barney taking some of his first steps on the original arena floor as a toddler.

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