Joe Marler becomes BBC's first celebrity Gladiator
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- Joe Marler, the 36-year-old former England rugby international from Heathfield, Sussex, is becoming the BBC's first celebrity Gladiator under the character name "Mauler"
- Marler will make a series of "special appearances packed with power, personality and plenty of surprises" when Gladiators returns in 2027, with filming for series four currently underway in Sheffield
- The BBC praised Marler's "uncompromising style of play and larger-than-life sense of humour," noting he will join existing Gladiators Nitro, Viper, Diamond and Sabre in the arena
- Marler also appeared in the first series of Celebrity Traitors, a separate BBC celebrity-format hit, marking back-to-back genre appearances for the retired prop
- The Gladiators format originally aired on ITV in the 1990s (Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies joined in 1995 as "Amazon"), was revived by Sky for two series from 2008, and relaunched on BBC One in 2024 before quickly becoming a ratings hit
- A separate celebrity Gladiators spin-off is in development, with presenter AJ Odudu, comedian Sara Pascoe, podcaster Chris Ramsey and social media star George Clarke among the contestants
Why it matters: The BBC is investing in Gladiators as a tentpole entertainment property on two tracks — folding a famous sports personality into the main series as a recurring Gladiator while also developing a fully celebrity version — indicating the format has become a priority Saturday night slot just two years after its 2024 relaunch.
