New Gladiators star Tom Stoltman, 32, has revealed how he once struggled so badly with autism he was too scared to leave the house and couldn't travel on public transport without support workers. The 6ft 8in strongman, who was diagnosed with autism aged five, has gone on to be crowned the World's Strongest Man three times.
Childhood Struggles
In his book 'Lifting: Becoming the World's Strongest Brothers', written with his older brother Luke, Tom described his difficult childhood. He wrote: "To this day, I can’t really explain how being autistic makes me feel compared to other people. But I do know my childhood could be very scary."
Certain things would trigger his tantrums, such as being told to go to bed. He recalled: "If Mum told me to go to bed, I’d go berserk, lock myself in the bathroom and scream the house down." Going to busy, noisy places also affected him, and secondary school was "big and terrifying".
Support from Parents
Tom's mum Sheila, who died from cancer in 2016, and his dad Ben fought for extra help at school. Tom said: "After that, I finally got some one-on-one help. But even with the extra help, life at the academy was a bit of a struggle."
He admitted: "I only started using public transport when I was 15, and only then with support workers. I started out doing wee journeys to my sister’s house, or five-minute train rides. I found it terrifying and wore headphones so no-one would talk to me."
He credited his parents: "Through it all, Mum and Dad never gave up on me. It was always a case of, ‘Tom’s got autism, what’s the big deal?’ They were unbelievable parents. If it wasn’t for Mum and Dad, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’d be sat in their house, a shy, stuttering man, drifting through life."
Discovery of Strength
At age 16, Tom felt "really lost" and "thought I might never leave Mum and Dad’s house" when his brother Luke took him to a local gym. He recalled: "That first time, I stuck to Luke like a limpet. As usual, I had my hood up and my head down."
Despite hating it initially, he realised he had a talent for lifting and began to enjoy working out, boosting his confidence. He met his now wife Sinead, who supported his aim to become a world-class strongman.
World's Strongest Man Achievements
Tom won his first World's Strongest Man title in 2021, retained it in 2022, and won a third time in 2024. He is officially Britain's Strongest Man after winning the title for the fourth time in February, but a hand injury stopped him in 2026 when he was knocked out in the qualifying rounds.
Speaking about his achievements, he said: "By becoming World’s Strongest Man, I’d proved so many people wrong. Sometimes I feel like pinching myself. How could a guy with autism achieve all this?" He added: "My autism controlled me for a long time, but it meant I didn’t end up doing what most people do."
Autism as a Superpower
Tom now refers to his autism as his superpower. He wrote: "I’d also inspired thousands of autistic kids all over the world. They’d seen a guy who supposedly had something wrong with him beat a bunch of guys who were supposedly normal."
He added: "Whenever I posted ‘Autism is my superpower’ on social media, I’d get kids replying, ‘Wow! I’m like Tom Stoltman, the World’s Strongest Man, and I can do anything!’"
Gladiators Role
Tom will star in the fourth series of Gladiators, which will begin filming in Sheffield next month before airing on BBC One in 2027. He is replacing former Gladiator Giant, real name Jamie Biggs, who left the show earlier this year. Tom's Gladiator name has yet to be announced, but fans have suggested Highlander, in homage to his roots in Invergordon.
