In 2024, an iconic sporting series of the 90s made a triumphant return. BBC’s Gladiators embraced the fanfare, lycra and insane games such as Duel, Hang Tough and The Wall in all their glory. The result was the biggest TV launch on the BBC in seven years.
Father and son TV duo Bradley and Barney Walsh took on presenting duties, while elite athletes adopted alter egos and became formidable opponents to contestants, and excellent entertainment for fans at home.
The latest season has brought even more drama, with three new events, two new gladiators and one (extremely weird) ‘romance’ plot between Sabre and Apollo.
With the final episode airing this Saturday, you may be sad thinking about the end of Gladiators. The question is, is the show coming back for more? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know, right here.
BBC / Nick Eagle / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd
Will Gladiators return for season 3?
Get your duelling sticks at the ready, because Gladiators is coming back for a third season. The official BBC website has confirmed this.
In fact, if you think you have the speed, strength and heart to be a winner (it’s not for beginners…), then you can apply to be a contender for series 3 by clicking the link above. Applications close on 30 May 2025.
Filming dates for the next series have not been confirmed, so we don’t know when audience tickets will be released yet.
When could Gladiators season 3 be released?
The BBC hasn’t yet announced a release date for series 3 of Gladiators, and likely won’t for a while. However, we can take an educated guess based on when the first two instalments aired.
The first series aired on 13 January, while the second one debuted on 18 January (not counting the New Year’s Day celebrity special).
Assuming the pattern stays the same, we expect Gladiators season 3 to air in mid-January 2026. Like last year, it will likely be released just after The Traitors season 4, which is expected to return at the beginning of the month.
Should we hear anything different, we’ll update this article.
Which Gladiators could return for season 3?
We don’t yet know for certain if every single Gladiator from season 2 will be back. If they are, here is what the line-up would look like:
- Apollo – Alex Gray
- Athena – Karenjeet Kaur Bains
- Bionic – Matty Campbell
- Comet – Ella-Mae Rayner
- Cyclone – Lystus Ebosele
- Diamond – Livi Sheldon
- Dynamite – Emily Steel
- Electro – Jade Packer
- Fire – Montell Douglas
- Fury – Jodie Ounsley
- Giant – Jamie Christian Johal
- Hammer – Tom Wilson
- Legend – Matt Morsia
- Nitro – Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
- Phantom – Toby Olubi
- Sabre – Sheli McCoy
- Steel – Zack George
- Viper – Quang Luong
King of The Wall and sprinter Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey) was forced to sit out of series 2 due to a knee injury, but he has already stated that he will be back fighting fit next season.
Will there be new Gladiators and events in series 3?
The former all depends on how much the cast changes. Two new Gladiators were added to the lineup this series, and the original show often shook up the Gladiator roster.
As for the events, we got three new additions in series 2: the thrilling track course Unleash, the return of Atlaspheres and Crash Course, a modified race version of Atlaspheres.
Gladiators is always looking to stay fresh, so some new events could be on the cards. We should learn more close to the release date.
When is the Gladiators season 2 final?
If you’d like to catch the final episode of series 2 of Gladiators, tune into either BBC One or BBC iPlayer at 5:50pm on Saturday 12 April 2025.
Not based in the UK? No stress – just follow our guide on how to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
Who won Gladiators season 1?
After ten weeks of tough challenges, with several contestants forced to pull out due to injuries, it came down to the final in 2024.
The women’s title was between Sheffield’s Bronte and Dublin’s Marie-Louise. Meanwhile, the men’s final was between Leeds-born Wesley – a stand-in for another contender who had to pull out – and Finlay from Edinburgh.
In the end, Marie-Louise and Finlay reigned victorious, getting to the top of the dreaded travelator first.
BBC / James Stack / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd
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