Gladiators BBC reboot returns to TV featuring Derbyshire's bodybuilding 'Giant'

Gladiators return to the screens and features Ilkeston-based bodybuilder Jamie Christian.

Standing tall at 6ft 5 inches, the former firefighter turned bodybuilder made history by becoming one of the all-time tallest bodybuilders – and now he's flexing his muscles on the small screen.

Jamie is a familiar face in the local fitness scene and owns and operates Ilkeston Gym and Fitness on Wood Street alongside his wife Katie. The bodybuilder's journey from fighting fires to gracing the Gladiators’ stage is a testament to his dedication for fitness.

The BBC's revival of the popular show, originally aired on ITV in the 1990s, brought in an average audience of six million viewers for its first episode. Hosted by father and son presenters Bradley and Barney Walsh, the hour-long program promises an adrenaline-packed experience with a cast of 16 new stars.

Sharing his excitement about the reboot, Jamie reminisced about his fond memories of the original series.

"Hunter was my favourite from a young age,” he said. “That was because he came across as a genuine guy with a good sense of humour and was great at being a Gladiator... I think he was actually named the ultimate Gladiator by the end of the original series.”

He also revealed a connection with Panther, his favourite female Gladiator, stating, "Panther and I became friends through a bodybuilding federation, which I did from my early 20s into my early 30s."

Jamie singled out Nitro and Steel as potential opponents from the new cast. "Nitro: he's a world-class athlete who is extremely fast, powerful, and explosive. Just because he's smaller doesn't mean he doesn’t have the strength and power to knock a big guy down. Steel has to be mentioned too; he’s an all-round beast. He’s very well-rounded," he said.

Reflecting on his most memorable moments from filming, Jamie said: "The weirdest moment for me was when I was competing on Duel. I was looking across at the contender, and just beyond his shoulder I spotted Saracen, one of the original Gladiators in the audience staring at me. I was like ‘Wow, this is pressure’. That was probably the most memorable moment in terms of audience interaction and just feeling like I had to prove myself.”

Watch Gladiators on Saturday at 5.50pm, on BBC One.