Football commentator Guy Mowbray will serve as the new voice of the BBC’s rebooted version of Gladiators.
Guy, 51, has been behind the mic for BBC Sport for the Africa Cup of Nations, European Championship, FA Cup and Premier League.
He will provide the voice over commentary on all the action of the show which sees contestants take on mighty challenges against a group of Gladiators.
Speaking about joining the show, Guy said: ‘It’s an absolute joy to be the voice of such an iconic show.
‘The Saturday night memories will come flooding back for many, whilst it’s brilliant to think of a new generation being introduced to an all new, even more ripped group of Gladiators!
New gig: Football commentator Guy Mowbray will serve as the new voice of the BBC’s rebooted version of Gladiators
Reboot: He will provide the voice over commentary on all the action of the show which sees contestants take on mighty challenges against a group of Gladiators
‘They are serious athletes, as are all the contenders who’ve been bold enough to take them on.
‘The best thing for me is that the format is the same as it ever was – only better!’
Contestants revealed includes trained rugby players, accomplished swimmers, sprinters and powerlifters – but Mark Clattenburg will bring years of experience as a Premier League referee to the table when the series gets underway.
Clattenburg oversaw several big games – including the 2012 Men’s Olympics final, the 2012 Carabao Cup final, the 2014 European Super Cup as well as the 2016 FA Cup, Champions League and European Championships Finals.
He will be joined by Sonia Mkoloma, a former English international netball player who competed at five Netball World Cups and three Commonwealth Games – making an incredible 123 international test appearances.
Sonia now works as the England Netball Assistant Head coach and will be heading to South Africa for the World Cup later in the year.
Third and final referee Lee Phillips is a fitness professional, firefighter and athlete who moved to London after completing university to join the fire service.
He has competed in the World Police and Firefighter Games in Los Angeles amongst 10,000 athletes and also won gold in the Ultimate Firefighter and CrossFit competitions, making him double World Champion.
Guy said: ‘It’s an absolute joy to be the voice of such an iconic show’ (pictured on Pointless Celebrities)
The newly unveiled group are ready to battle contenders at Sheffield Arena in the most iconic and exciting sports entertainment gameshow, coming to BBC One and iPlayer.
Contestants will face the unenviable task of facing the Gladiators in the ultimate test of speed and strength in a series of brand new games alongside some returning classics, among them fan-favourite The Eliminator.
At a towering 6ft 6in it’s somewhat inevitable that bodybuilder Matty Campbell has been named Bionic.
As a child he used to sprint and play football, reaching Academy Level, but a car accident curtailed his professional ambitions. It was his subsequent rehabilitation that led him to finding an alternative outlet in the gym.
Despite having never previously been a regular visitor to the gym, he found that he had a natural ability and quickly started gaining muscle-mass, leading to his eventual love of bodybuilding,
He said: ‘Never in a million years did I expect to get the call to be a Gladiator, it’s a feeling that’ll never sink in. I’m just a normal lad from Teesside! All the training and hard work has finally paid off for me, I can’t wait to get started!’
Jade Packer, aka Electro, will also be taking part and is quick, unstoppable and the perfect mix of strength, speed and skill.
Currently working as a sports model, fitness coach and hybrid athlete, she began her journey as a sprinter.
Her speed led to her being ranked amongst the Top 10 Fastest Runners in the UK aged 12 for 150m and she went onto to race for titles at various championships over the 100m and 200m.
She said: ‘I hope Electro can spark an unstoppable pursuit for a new generation of athletes. I’m ready to light up the arena with a different kind of energy.’
Also on the line up is Toby Olubi, aka Phantom, who was part of the Team GB Bobsleigh team and competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
In the same season, he and his team broke the world record for the fastest ever bobsleigh at 97 mph. They also made history by bringing home Great Britain’s first-ever gold medal in the 2018 Whistler World Cup.
Keeping them in line: Mark Clattenburg (L) will bring years of experience as a Premier League referee to the table when the series gets underway. He will be joined by Sonia Mkoloma, a former English international netball player (R)
Watch out: Third and final referee Lee Phillips is a fitness professional, firefighter and athlete who moved to London after completing university to join the fire service
He has also been a sprinter a domestic level and has won the county championship for the UK men’s 60m sprints and has frequently competed in the British men’s 100m sprint Olympic qualifying championships.
Additionally, the fitness nut has also won the title of fastest Bobsledder in the UK push championships for four consecutive years from 2015 to 2019.
He said of the show: ‘This is a dream come true for me. I’m a 90’s kid so the Gladiators of past were my version of real life superheroes. Now I’ve got the chance to don the big “G” and be an inspirational figure myself.
‘Gladiators is all about stepping up against the odds and bringing the best version of yourself.
‘We will be given the biggest entertainment platform to represent that ethos and I couldn’t be more proud and grateful to be a Gladiator…. Let the show begin!!’
For the past 15 years, Quang Luong, aka Viper, has dedicated his life to fitness, spending each day perfecting the art of bodybuilding.
Coming to the show, the fitness model and practicing boxer, who’s often been cast in films in powerful roles, even appearing in a James Bond film as a gangster. Alongside his power and precision he’s looking to devour his competitors.
Karenjeet Kaur Bains is also in the run, who bestows a combination of brain, brawn and beauty.
She gets her moniker from the Ancient Greek Goddess of War and Wisdom, Athena.
Representing Team GB, she is a winner of three Gold and two Silver Commonwealth Powerlifting medals.
She’s also the five time All England Powerlifting Champion and five time British Powerlifting Champion and represented Great Britain at the World and European Championships.
Very proud of her South Asian heritage, she makes show history as the first Sikh Gladiator and wants to inspire people of all ethnic backgrounds to achieve their full potential.
Hot stuff: Nitro is a team GB sprinter called Harry Aikines Aryeetey. Commonwealth and World gold medallist sprinter
Speedy: NFL star Alex Gray aka Apollo captained English Rugby teams for 16’s, 18’s and 20’s. He was scouted to go to NFL for his skillset, making him the first British rugby player to transfer over to the NFL
Can’t wait: Also on the line up is Toby Olubi, aka Phantom, who was part of the Team GB Bobsleigh team and competed in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics
Multi-talented: Currently working as a sports model, fitness coach and hybrid athlete, Jade Packer, aka Electro began her journey as a sprinter
Toned and trim: Ella-Mae Rayner also known as Comet trains six times a week while also working as a Fitness Model & Coach
Former elite gymnast, Ella-Mae Rayner also known as Comet, Sheli McCoy as Sabre and NFL star Alex Gray as Apollo will also be taking part.
Small, explosive and dangerous, just like Dynamite, 20-year-old, Emily Steel, is the youngest Gladiator in the current line-up.
Also joining is Nitro, who is a team GB sprinter called Harry Aikines Aryeetey. Commonwealth and World gold medallist sprinter, Harry’s lightning fast speed and ‘ball of energy’ personality earned him the name Nitro.
Also zazzling her way into the Gladiators stadium is Livi Sheldon. She is a 6ft bodybuilder, with her striking looks and indestructible natural earning her the name, Diamond.
Another contestant, Giant, is a former firefighter turned bodybuilder called Jamie Christian Johal.
Also Blazing into the Gladiators stadium like a flash is Montell Douglas. She’s fierce and will burn through the arena destroying anyone who gets in her way, earning her the name Fire.
Former Team GB Sprinter and Olympic Bobsledder, she held the British woman’s record for fastest 100m sprint at 11.05 seconds, smashing the previous record which had stood unbeaten for 27 years.
And finally, Legend. Training up to six times a week in bodybuilding and powerlifting, former international athlete, Matt Morsia describes himself as a Legend.
The former Championship bronze medal winning long and triple jumper, and silver medal winning powerlifter, loved the ‘showmanship’ of competing.
