Gladiators' Epic Comeback
BBC Confirms Gladiators Returns in 2027 for Fourth Series, New Celebrity Special, and Event
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Key Points
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Giant, real name Jamie Bigg, confirmed he will not return for Gladiators Series 4, marking a notable cast change ahead of the 2027 run.
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The Celebrity Special for Gladiators has previously featured high-profile participants, with Christmas line-up Sam Thompson, Joe Wicks, Vogue Williams and Nicola Adams, followed by New Year’s participants Rob Beckett, Joel Dommett, Ellie Taylor and Louise Minchin.
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Gladiators is planned as 11 episodes of 60 minutes for the main series and a separate 60-minute Celebrity Special, produced by Hungry Bear Media and MGM Alternative UK, with Dan Baldwin, Lou Brown and Reshmi Bajnath as executive producers and Dom Bird as producer; commissioning editors are Clodagh O’Donoghue and Leanne Witcoop.
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Filming will take place at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, and free audience tickets are available to request for forthcoming recordings.
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The original American Gladiators series was created by Johnny C. Ferraro and Dan Carr, a detail highlighted in production materials for Gladiators.
The BBC has confirmed Gladiators will return for a fourth series in 2027, with a brand-new Celebrity Special also on the way. Digital Spy reports the show will once again be filmed at Sheffield's Utilita Arena, with father-and-son hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh back for another run.
The renewal keeps one of the BBC's biggest entertainment brands alive. Series 3 averaged 4.6 million viewers across 28 days on BBC One and iPlayer, according to Wales Online — roughly double what other shows pull in the same Saturday night slot.
New Celebrity Special Adds a Star-Studded One-Off Showdown
Alongside the main series, the BBC is producing a standalone 60-minute Celebrity Special. Four famous faces will compete in a one-off arena contest. Previous specials have drawn big names. A Christmas edition featured Sam Thompson, Joe Wicks, Vogue Williams, and Nicola Adams. A New Year's edition starred Rob Beckett, Joel Dommett, Ellie Taylor, and Louise Minchin, according to Digital Spy.
The Celebrity Special strategy is working. By casting high-profile names, the BBC bridges the gap between traditional TV and younger social media audiences. The main series itself will run 11 episodes of 60 minutes each, produced by Hungry Bear Media and MGM Alternative UK, Manchester Evening News reported.
Giant Will Not Return as Series 4 Brings Cast Shake-Up
The biggest off-screen news is the exit of Jamie Bigg, known as Giant. He confirmed on social media he will not be back for Series 4. "What I do want to make clear is this wasn't a decision I made to step away," Bigg said. "I was faced with a choice that didn't align with my values."
His departure leaves a gap in the Gladiator roster. Series 3 featured 18 resident Gladiators. A new recruit is expected to fill the "heavy hitter" role, according to Wales Online. The BBC holds its on-screen talent to strict standards, given the show is watched by millions of children aged 4 to 15.
Classic Events Return Alongside a Brand-New Challenge
Producers are keeping the events fans love most. Everest, Destruction, and Suspension Bridge all return after strong audience demand. Classics like Duel, Hang Tough, and the Eliminator are also back. One completely new event will debut in Series 4, though the BBC has not yet revealed what it is, per Leeds Live.
The Utilita Arena in Sheffield gives the show its distinctive feel. The 360-degree audience setup recreates the atmosphere of the original 1990s recordings. The Suspension Bridge event hangs 21 feet above the arena floor — twice the height of the Duel platform. Filming is scheduled for July and August 2026.
From 9.8 Million Peak to a Sustainable BBC Franchise
Gladiators launched its BBC reboot on January 13, 2024, pulling 9.8 million viewers — the biggest entertainment debut on the BBC in seven years. Numbers have settled since then. Series 3 averaged 4.6 million. But BBC Head of Entertainment Kalpna Patel-Knight called that a success, saying it has been "amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders."
Executive Producer Dan Baldwin described the upcoming series as "bigger, bolder, more gruelling, and spectacular." Free tickets for live recordings are available to fans now, according to Manchester Evening News. The continued use of Sheffield's Utilita Arena also provides a seasonal economic boost to the city during the multi-week filming block.
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