TV and podcast star Vogue Williams has confessed she was left physically 'in bits' after finally landing a spot on a legendary BBC show she had dreamed of joining since childhood.
A Childhood Dream Realised
The 40-year-old presenter, a mother-of-three, fulfilled a long-held ambition by taking part in the celebrity special of the revived BBC Gladiators. Speaking candidly on her popular podcast, Shagged, Married, Annoyed, with husband Spencer Matthews, Vogue described the experience as both thrilling and brutally demanding.
"I always wanted to do it," she told listeners, reminiscing about watching the original series. "Do you remember watching it when you were younger?" She recalled her Scottish stepfather impersonating the show's iconic referee, John Anderson, adding to the family's connection with the programme.
The Brutal Reality of Facing the Gladiators
Williams, whose TV career began over 15 years ago on Irish reality series Fade Street and includes stints on Bear Grylls: Mission Survive and Strictly Come Dancing, didn't sugarcoat the physical toll. She admitted the challenges, particularly the infamous Travelator, made her feel every one of her 40 years.
"It was the first time I was like, 'I'm 40'. I was in bits. I was in bits," she revealed. The presenter explained that contestants get to practice all the elements, including the final Eliminator race, but facing the actual Gladiators was a different matter entirely.
"You try everything on the eliminator and I got Joe Wicks to film me on the eliminator," she shared. "I was running up the travelator...went straight down on my face. Not a great runner even though I do a lot of it."
Inspiring Figures and a Terrifying Challenge
Despite the fear of confronting the super-fit Gladiators, Vogue praised them as inspiring role models, especially for young girls. "I love having people like that on TV because when you look at young girls...I thought I'd love my daughter to look at them and be like, 'Look how sick they are'," she said.
She added with admiration: "They're strong women who will absolutely batter you if you p**s them off. They put so much effort into that and they're just great characters as well."
Vogue competed in the special, which aired on BBC One at 3.35pm on December 25, alongside an all-star line-up including Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams, fitness coach Joe Wicks, and Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson.
The BBC rebooted the classic entertainment show in 2024, more than two decades after ITV originally axed it. A previous revival aired on Sky One for two series between 2008 and 2009. Ahead of the broadcast, Vogue expressed her excitement, stating: "I have loved this show since I was little and I'll be living out my childhood dream just stepping into the arena."
