Gladiators star Lize Van der Walt, known as Gold from the original BBC series, has died aged 60.
Van Der Walt rose to fame when she joined the sports entertainment gameshow in 1997, five years after its original launch.
The TV star was on the programme for one series, joining the likes of Falcon, Lightning, Rhino and Saracen to demonstrate her athletic prowess opposite members of the public who believed they could take on the mighty Gladiators.
In a statement published on Facebook, the official Gladiators account shared the news that ‘golden girl’ Gold had died after being diagnosed with cancer.
‘We’re deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Gladiators’ golden girl, Gold,’ the heartfelt message read.
‘Lize joined the UK Gladiators in 1997, bringing strength, spirit and determination to the Arena. Chosen from thousands of applicants to become one of the show’s new Gladiators, she quickly made her mark. Although injury limited her appearances, she showed incredible resilience and when she did compete, she proved that all that glistens truly was Gold.’
![Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (9009064es) Fox [Tammy Baker], Gold [Lize Van Der Walt], Siren [Alison Paton], Lightning [Kim Betts] Season 6 1997 "Gladiators" TV Series - 1990s Gladiators is a British television sports entertainment game show, an adaptation of the American programme and its format, American Gladiators, and was produced by LWT for ITV from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000. The programme's format sees four contestants, two male and two female, compete in a series of physical events against the show's "Gladiators", eventually competing in one final event, with contestants aiming to secure a place in the grand final and be crowned champion for their respective series.](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SEI_294025013-80d7.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Originally from South Africa, Van der Walt was described as a ‘talented athlete long before Gladiators’, excelling in the 400m and relay.
The statement continued: ‘Her adventurous spirit brought her to the UK, where she became part of Gladiators history.’
‘She later returned to the Arena in 2000 to represent the UK against her home nation, which was called a “proud full-circle moment that reflected her strength and character”.
‘Following her time on Gladiators, Van der Walt returned home to Hermanus in South Africa, where she built a new life as a successful artist, creating seascapes and semi-abstract work inspired by her surroundings.’
The BBC then shared that after a ‘long and brave battle with cancer’, she died on April 19 in South Africa.
‘Our thoughts are with her son Michael, her family, friends and all who knew and loved her. Thank you for the memories, Lize. You will always be part of Gladiators history,’ the statement concluded.
Gladiators fans poured into the comments offering their condolences, with one called Jordan writing: ‘I remember being a kid and watching her on the Gauntlet, one of my favourite female Gladiators along with Flame.’
‘RIP Liz I’m shocked, too young,’ Michael shared, while Mike commented: ‘I did panto with Lize back in the 90s. She was a lovely person. Such sad news.’
Following her time on Gladiators, Van der Walt worked as a seascape and semi-abstract artist, sharing her artworks on her Instagram page.
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