Mauler will follow in the footsteps of Amazon, Fury, Apollo… and Jeremy Guscott.
Becoming a surprise star Famous traitors last fall, Joe Marler has just been confirmed for another of BBC One’s biggest shows.
But the former Harlequins and England prop will not be following in the immaculately set footsteps of Matt Dawson, Gavin Henson and Eagle Monye by putting his things in Strictly Come Dancing ballroom.
Instead, Marler will be (literally) throwing his weight around by entering the Gladiators arena as Mauler, the latest addition to the elite athletes and bodybuilders of this hit.
The Beeb are hailing their new signing as “the first ever celebrity gladiator”, and must be hoping that Marler’s unique sense of humor will make him as quotable as the pantomime’s resident villain, Legend.
(Hungry Bear Media)
But as a former rugby player, Marler is perfectly placed to excel in events like Powerball and The Ring, which rely on hard-fought battles, tactics and positioning as the Glads work to ensure contestants have a very bad day at the office.
Given the contact nature of some of the games, it’s no surprise that the show has long had rugby connections – in fact, it’s perhaps a bigger surprise that more former players haven’t swapped their rugby shirts for some bespoke spandex. Here are other players who reinvented themselves Gladiators.
Ex-rugby players who graced the Gladiators…
Jeremy Guscott
(Mark Leech/Getty Images)
OK, the former Bath, England and British & Irish Lions center wasn’t a real Gladiator, but he was a regular on the original British incarnation of the show.
Early in his media career (he was also a regular on the ITV show). Body Heat), Guscott co-hosted two series Gladiators alongside Ulrika Jonsson, replacing original host (and fellow ’90s sports star) John Fashanu.
Amazon (Dr. Zoe Williams)
(Hoda Davaine/Getty Images)
The original Amazon was Olympic swimmer (and now a member of the House of Lords) Sharron Davies, but Sky recycled the name for its short-lived 2000s reboot.
Alias is succeeded by Zoe Williams, who – among other sports – played rugby at a high level in the North East before stepping into the Gladiators arena.
Now he’s an even more familiar face on TV screens – as well as being a GP, he’s a regular on both BBCs Trust me, I’m a doctor and ITV This morning.
Fury (Jodie Ounsley)
(Tom Dulat/Getty Images)
Before she became Fury, one of the most popular gladiators, Jodie Ounsley was better known for her exploits in a rugby shirt.
As well as representing England in the Sevens, the former Sale Sharks player was with Exeter Chiefs in the English top flight before retiring from the game at the end of the 2023-24 season.
However, her sporting CV extends far beyond the rugby field, as a former British Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion and multiple world coal hauling champion.
She’s also a prominent advocate for the deaf community, having worn a cochlear implant since she was just 14 months old – recently voicing the audiologist who helps George with his new hearing aid in Peppa Pig.
Apollo (Alex Gray)
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
An imposing 6’6”, the future Apollo came through Newcastle Falcons’ academy and captained England at under-16, under-18 and under-20 level, leading the latter to second place at the 2011 World Juniors.
The No.8 went on to have spells with London Irish and Yorkshire Carnegie and was also in the Sevens before deciding to break into the NFL – joining the International Player Pathway program a few years ago Louis Rees-Zammit followed a similar path.
Gray spent three years with the Atlanta Falcons training squad before returning to England with Bath Rugby at the start of the 2020-21 season, this time as a winger. He left the club a year later.
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