Gladiators’ former presenter John Fashanu has claimed the rebooted BBC series has turned “woke” and claimed it isn’t what it used to be.
The high-intensity sports game show first aired in 1992 and saw four contestants – split into pairs by gender – compete in a series of physically challenging events against the show’s resident “Gladiators”.
To top the show off, the pairs then compete against their respective contestant in a one-on-one final where they are sent through to the semis.
Fashanu presented the show alongside Ulrika Jonsson for five years and saw a staggering success with the audience and viewers.
The original show ended in 2009 before it was picked up and rebooted by the BBC this year, but whilst many were thrilled to see the show back on their screens, it has received a lot of controversy.
Viewer’s first issue with the show was that Bradley and Barney Walsh had been chosen as presenters, soon sparking a nepotism row.
John presented the show from 1992 to 1997
BBC
Another issue which eagle-eye viewers realised was that they no longer had cheerleaders coming out with the Gladiators nor around the arena cheering the contestants on.
The Gladiator’s costumes were also an issue for many as they claimed they “aren’t like they used to be” despite the obvious colour coordination.
Others have claimed that the Gladiators are “too soft” on the contestants and begged for bosses to “get rid” of the original games.
Fashanu recently spoke to GB News on behalf of luckyblock.com, and when asked if he thought the show had gone “woke” and was trying to people please, he quickly agreed.
John and Ulrika were the original presenters of the series
BBC
“Oh definitely! Definitely! This is not gladiators! The dress which everybody wore was agreed that everyone would wear the same thing, that was part of the fun of the show!
“That was why at one stage we were getting 18 million viewers globally, that is crazy! So I do think that is a small problem!
“I think that it is not quite the same as what it was before, but then of course if it is not going to change in our time then it must be a problem.”
However, he was in favour of some changes being made as the world has moved on since then and added: “If we put Gladiators back on, the show exactly as it used to be 13 years ago, we would be doing something wrong, the world has changed.
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John Fashnu and Ulrika Jonsson on Gladiators
BBC
“So let the changes change and let’s see how it goes. Each one of them [Gladiators] has something different to say.
“And I love the fact that we now have one of the Gladiators who is very much life Wolf, everything you say he says ‘I’m the best’, anything ‘I am the best’ and it is great and it is what makes the show.”