Gladiators revival: former Gladiator Wolf suggests son could take up mantle ahead of 2023 TV return

Saturday evening television’s  favourite “baddy” has revealed that he’d love to take part in the upcoming Gladiators revival, but that his son could take over his iconic role. 70 year old Michael Van Wijk, known to many 90s kids as Wolf, has expressed an interest in the upcoming series but in a completely different role to that he made famous.

Instead, Van Wijk has suggested that his 34 year old son, Dean, take up the mantle of Wolf, leaving the former anti-hero to focus on presenting the series, set to start filming in Sheffield in the new year. “My son looks exactly like me, he is 6ft tall,, he has applied to be a gladiator” he revealed.

"He hasn’t said he is my son, but he has sent his details off. He is super fit, muscular, an amazing athlete - he wants to be the new Wolf. His enthusiasm is the same as mine and his sense of humour is the same as mine, I think he would go down really well.

“I would love to go back and do the show, I am fit enough to do it, fitness isn’t the problem, but I don’t think they would take me on at 70. I would like to be a presenter on the programme this time” he admitted.

As Wolf, Van Wijk captured the attention of audiences during his run on Gladiators between 1992 and the show’s subsequent cancellation in 2000, including catching the eye of celebrity fans. One of which was a fresh faced