Gladiators host Bradley Walsh explains key to reboot's popularity
"They haven't tried to reinvent the wheel, they've just shoved more spokes in it."
What did you miss?
Gladiators hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh were on The One Show's latest guest sofa to promote their sporting gameshow's upcoming celebrity edition.
With just one series under their belts, the dad and lad spoke to presenters Roman Kemp and Alex Jones on Thursday, 19 December about the seismic success of the reboot that debuted on the BBC at the start of the year and went on to garner some serious viewing figures.
Walsh Senior suggested it was all down to simplicity: don't change what worked before.
What, how and why?
Asked by Kemp if he'd been surprised by the Gladiators reboot's popularity, the host of The Chase said: "I just think, Ro, it was so successful first time around you know... the brilliant thing is the company that makes it, Hungry Bear [Media Ltd], haven't changed it.
"They've added to it, they haven't tried to reinvent the wheel, they've just shoved more spokes in it basically. I love working on it and we have just the greatest time, don't we?"
Read more:
Which Gladiators are returning and everything else to know about series 2
From Pingu to Bullseye, why it feels like all your old TV favourites are coming back
Taking on the baton, his son further explained: "Yeah we do, it really is a modern spin on Gladiators bringing it into 2024."
According to Walsh Jr, the "great thing" about the show is that a lot of the original's fans — Gladiators aired for eight series between 1992 and 2000 on ITV — now have children of their own and are making an effort to get them into it too.
"It's just great, it's really awesome to see."
Who's competing in the Gladiators: Celebrity Special?
As for the four famous faces looking to edge past the Gladiators on New Year's Day, we have comedian Rob Beckett, Ted Lasso actress Ellie Taylor, BBC Breakfast legend Louise Minchin and The Masked Singer UK presenter Joel Dommett.
"I can't believe I'm taking part in Gladiators! It's always been my dream to be on that travelator," quipped Dommett.
"I've been illegally running up escalators backwards all my life in preparation and now it's happening for real. Super excited to be up against all my favourite muscley people in leotards and have some fun!"
Gladiators: Celebrity Special airs New Year's Day on BBC One at 6pm, while The One Show broadcasts every weekday on the same channel
