Gladiators Athena and Diamond delighted fans by making a surprise return to the arena during the live tour on Saturday, despite pulling out of the show due to injury.
The pair were among four favourites from the iconic BBC series who suffered injuries during filming for the main show, which is set to return in January 2026.
But with the Gladiators tour kicking off in London’s O2 Arena, the pair still made an appearance to pose for snaps with fans.
And while they were still unable to take part in the famous challenges, Athena and Diamond did take a moment to speak to the huge 12,500-strong crowd, declaring they would be back in the arena soon.
Diamond, whose real name is Livi Sheldon, reassured the crowd she was on the mend and led them in a tutorial of her ‘shine like a Diamond pose.’
Athena, whose real name is Karenjeet Kaur Bains, told the arena: ‘Every setback is a set-up for a comeback, and this comeback story is going to be epic.’
Gladiators Athena and Diamond delighted fans by making a surprise return to the arena during the live tour on Saturday, despite pulling out of the show due to injury
The pair were among four favourites from the iconic BBC series who suffered injuries during filming for the main show, which is set to return in January 2026 (Diamond is pictured)
In August, Diamond took to Instagram to reveal she’d been forced to withdraw from filming for Gladiators’ main show in Sheffield, after suffering a knee injury, and rupturing her ACL and MCL during filming.
In an update to Instagram, Livi explained: ‘Hey Tribe I’ve got a life update — and unfortunately, it’s not the news I was hoping to share.’
She continued: ‘While filming Gladiators, i suffered a full ACL and MCL rupture. One moment I was in full action, the next I was facing surgery and a brand-new challenge: recovery.Â
‘It’s never easy hitting pause on something you love, but this isn’t the end of my journey — it’s just a detour. I’ve been through tough battles before, and every time I’ve come back stronger and this time is no different.
‘I’m going to need all the support I can get, and I’ll be sharing this journey with you every step of the way. If my experience can help even one person facing their own challenges, it’ll make this journey even more meaningful.
‘Now, after having my surgery, I’m ready to attack this rehab with everything I’ve got & more because being unbreakable is more than strength or how powerful you are — it’s about how you rise after you fall.Â
‘And every step I take now is building the comeback that will define me. It’s never about the setback – it’s always about the comeback.’
The reboot of Gladiators was a smash hit when it aired last year, and a celebrity spin-off was quickly commissioned, featuring comedians and gym lovers.Â
But with the Gladiators tour kicking off in London’s O2 Arena, the pair still made an appearance to pose for snaps with fans and celebrity guests including Luisa Zissman
Diamond, whose real name is Livi Sheldon, reassured the crowd she was on the mend and led them in a tutorial of her ‘shine like a Diamond pose’
But this year the casting team have stepped it up and found four stars who can definitely give the Gladiators a run for their money.Â
The Sun reported that model Vogue Williams will be joined on the show by fitness guru Joe Wicks, former Olympic boxer Nicola Adams, and gym-obsessed I’m A Celeb winner Sam Thompson.
Vogue won the first series of Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and regularly shares fitness tips and workout videos with her Instagram followers.Â
Meanwhile Joe dominated British TV screens during Covid thanks to his at-home workout clips, and reality star Sam often shares his gym progress.Â
Former Olympian Nicola could however prove the one to beat, after retiring undefeated in 2019 and becoming the first female boxer to become an Olympic champion after winning gold at London 2012.
A source told the publication: ‘Last year, producers of the debut celebrity version played it for laughs with three comedians taking part — with hilarious results for viewers.
‘But this year they’ve assembled four celebrities who can give the Gladiators a serious run for their money, and serve up a clash to savour.
The first series of Celebrity Gladiators saw Joel Dommett and Ellie Taylor crowned the winners after a tense finale.
The one-hour special saw Joel go head-to-head with comedian Rob Beckett, while Ellie faced a string of challenges with former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin.
