Barney Walsh, 28, banned from driving for six months and slapped with fine after Mercedes speeding violation

Lydia Davies
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:49:20 +0000

Barney Walsh has received a six-month driving ban after exceeding a temporary speed limit on the M4 motorway last autumn.

The 28-year-old television presenter, who co-hosts the popular BBC programme Gladiators alongside his father Bradley, was travelling at 58mph through a 50mph zone when caught by speed cameras.

Bench chairwoman Janis Sanders handed down the disqualification today at Romford Magistrates' Court.

The incident occurred on October 27, 2025, and Barney had previously entered a guilty plea to breaching the temporary motorway speed restriction.

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With nine penalty points already accumulated on his licence before this offence, his legal representative acknowledged that a ban was unavoidable under the totting-up rules that apply to drivers reaching 12 points.

The speeding offence took place on the westbound carriageway of the M4 at junction 19 in South Gloucestershire, where roadworks or other circumstances had necessitated a reduced speed limit.

The presenter was driving his black 2023 Mercedes-Benz SUV when cameras recorded him travelling 8mph above the permitted maximum.

A standard speeding violation of this nature typically attracts three penalty points, which would have pushed Barney's total to 12.

This is the threshold at which magistrates are required to impose a driving ban.

The location of the offence, near Bristol, is some distance from Barney's home in Epping, Essex, suggesting he may have been travelling for professional reasons at the time.

Barney was not present at the hearing, with his solicitor Gwyn Lewis, informing the court that "work commitments" had taken his client overseas.

Mr Lewis told magistrates: "I'm not instructed to resist the disqualification, and he has been told he is not to drive from last night."

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The lawyer, who had been formally instructed to represent Barney in his absence, confirmed to the bench that the presenter's existing nine points meant losing his licence was "inevitable" once the new offence was added.

The TV host had already admitted guilt to the charge of exceeding the temporary motorway speed restriction, leaving only the question of sentencing for the court to determine.

His legal team made no attempt to argue against the ban being imposed.

The court ordered Barney to pay a total of £185 in financial penalties comprising three separate elements.

These included a £72 fixed penalty notice for the speeding offence itself, along with a £28 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.

Mr Lewis assured the magistrates that his client was financially capable of settling the amount within the standard 28-day payment window.

Under UK law, motorists who accumulate 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period face automatic disqualification, typically for a minimum of six months.

The 28-year-old has established himself as a familiar face on British television beyond his Gladiators hosting duties.

The Epping-based presenter has built an acting career with roles in popular dramas including the BBC's Death in Paradise and the long-running medical series Casualty.

His highest-profile role came when the BBC revived Gladiators in early 2024, with Barney joining his 65-year-old father, Bradley, as co-host of the rebooted competition show.

The father-and-son presenting partnership has proved a successful formula for the programme, which sees contestants take on the show's muscular Gladiators in various physical challenges.

Bradley, already one of British television's most recognisable faces through The Chase and his acting work, brought his son into the spotlight with the joint presenting role.