Joe Marler, a 36-year-old former England rugby international, has been announced as the first celebrity Gladiator to appear on the BBC’s entertainment series. Marler, known for his playing career and previous appearance on Celebrity Traitors, will take on the on-screen persona of Mauler and participate in special appearances throughout the fourth series.
The BBC confirmed that filming for the upcoming series is currently underway in Sheffield. Marler will join existing Gladiators including Nitro, Viper, Diamond and Sabre when the show returns in 2027. According to the corporation, Marler’s participation will feature “special appearances packed with power, personality and plenty of surprises.” The broadcaster highlighted his reputation as an entertaining sports personality, noting his uncompromising playing style and sense of humor as qualities he will bring to the role.
Glad Iators originated as a successful ITV program during the 1990s, featuring members of the public competing against elite athletes with distinct personas. Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies previously joined that version as the character Amazon in 1995. The format was later revived by Sky for two series in 2008 before the BBC launched its current iteration in 2024, which has established itself as a popular program for the network.
Separately, a celebrity spin-off of Gladiators is in development, featuring contestants such as presenter AJ Odudu, comedian Sara Pascoe, podcaster Chris Ramsey and social media personality George Clarke.
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