Joe Wicks has paid a warm tribute to Bradley Walsh after taking part in the BBC’s Gladiators Celebrity Special, revealing the presenter helped calm his nerves as he stepped into the arena for one of the toughest challenges of his career.
The fitness coach, 39, is among four famous faces competing in the Christmas Day special of Gladiators, alongside Sam Thompson, Nicola Adams and Vogue Williams.
The one-hour episode will see the celebrities take on the iconic events before battling it out in the Eliminator to be crowned Celebrity Champion.
Speaking ahead of the festive special, Mr Wicks admitted the scale of the production initially left him feeling overwhelmed, but said host Bradley Walsh played a key role in putting him at ease.
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Joe Wicks and Sam Thompson are competing in the BBC’s Gladiators Celebrity Special
|BBC
“I felt a little bit overwhelmed as the noise and the energy is so amazing,” Mr Wicks told the BBC.
He added: “I’ve never done anything like that before, being indoors in front of thousands of people. Bradley and Barney were really wonderful – they put me right at ease.”
The Celebrity Special was filmed at Sheffield Arena and marks a nostalgic return for Mr Wicks, who grew up watching Gladiators in the 1990s.
He said the chance to appear on the show was impossible to turn down.
The fitness instructor will test his high-energy cardio against the Gladiators in the Sheffield Arena
|BBC
“Being a kid in the 90s means I have so many memories of Gladiators,” he explained. “It was one of the first times I saw physically strong people on TV and they were role models. I remember thinking I’d love to be like that one day.”
Now a father of two, Mr Wicks said taking part also felt meaningful for his children, who are already enthusiastic about sport and fitness.
“My kids are really active and anything that gets children excited about moving is such a positive thing,” he said. “To see people training hard and being dedicated is a really good message.”
When it comes to the events, Mr Wicks believes the Eliminator will play to his strengths thanks to his background in high-intensity training.
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Joe Wicks credited presenter Bradley Walsh for keeping him at ease during the challenges
|BBC
“You need balance, upper body strength and cardio fitness,” he explained.
“I’ve done a lot of high heart-rate stuff over the years so I think I’ll be pretty good at that.”
However, he was less confident about facing some of the show’s fearsome Gladiators, admitting size could be a disadvantage.
“I’m only five foot ten and about 74 kilos, so I wouldn’t want to face Giant,” he said.
“He’s massive – I don’t think I’d stand a chance. And Viper just looks like an angry little man.”
Mr Wicks also revealed he had already chosen his Gladiator alter ego, opting for a name closely tied to his mission of getting families moving.
The Gladiator's Celebrity Special cast ahead of the special airing on Christmas day
|BBC
“My Gladiator name would be Activate,” he said.
“I’m all about energising kids and families. Movement doesn’t have to be an hour-long workout – it can be five minutes of play. Daily movement is medicine for both physical and mental health.”
Reflecting more personally, Mr Wicks explained how exercise had been a lifeline for him growing up.
Mr Wicks's gladiator name would be 'Activate'
|BBC
“When I was five years old, sport helped me deal with a stressful home life,” he said.
“Exercise changed how I felt and no one could take that away from me. It really changed the direction of my life.
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