‘Contestant, are you ready?’ Joe Marler has spoken for the first time about his transformation from Rugby legend into a Gladiator brute.
The Traitors star will be rebranded as ‘Mauler’ in the upcoming BBC series – a permanent cast member taking on contestants, a marked difference to celebrity guests.
But the kind-hearted father revealed it was his son’s adoration for the Gladiators that made him want to don the famous catsuit himself.
He explained when he took part in Soccer Aid his son was too shy to let go of his hand – but acted completely differently when he spotted a Gladiator.
Joe told Love Sunday magazine: ‘My kids love it, particularly my youngest boy.
‘We walked past Nitro and he says, “Daddy, it’s Nitro!” He walked over like, “Hi, Nitro.” And I’m like, “What? Who is this? You barely say hello to family members, but you’ve gone straight up to Nitro.”
‘So when the call came in to say, “We’d like you to be a Gladiator if you fancy it,” it was a definite yes.’
Known for his physical style of play, outrageous mohican and larger-than-life personality, Joe earned 95 England caps in his sports career.
But since hanging up his boots, he opened up on his struggle to get into shape for the tight outfits the Gladiators are expected to wear. He said he even asked bosses if he could be the first ‘baggy’ clothes-wearing Gladiator.
He was refused, with Joe explaining: ‘So, I’m going to need a little bit of time to get as close to Gladiator-ready as possible.’
He is in training and already filming in Sheffield ahead of the programme’s return to BBC One and iPlayer in 2027.
Hosted by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney, the rebooted Gladiators has become one of the broadcaster’s most-watched shows since its return in 2024.
The likes of Sam Thompson and Joe Wicks have all taken part in the celebrity version in previous episodes.
This comes after Giant, Bionic, Athena and Cyclone all exited the show in previous months, with various replacements being announced by the BBC.