The BBC's Celebrity Gladiators crowned two new champions in a dramatic festive special that aired on Christmas Day, but the victory of one star has sparked a significant viewer backlash over perceived unfair assistance.
Neck-and-Neck Finish Sparks Controversy
In the women's final, media personality Vogue Williams, 40, faced off against former professional boxer Nicola Adams, 43. For most of the gruelling Eliminator course, Adams held a comfortable lead. However, the race turned on its head during the final Travelator section, with Williams catching up to create a nail-biting, neck-and-neck finish.
Co-host Barney Walsh revealed the astonishingly narrow margin, stating: 'There was only two hundreths of a second in it.' A stunned Vogue Williams reacted to her win by saying, 'I honestly cannot believe that.'
Viewer Fury Over Ladder Assistance
The decision to crown Williams champion was immediately criticised by viewers online, who pointed to an earlier segment of the Eliminator. During a rope climb challenge, Williams struggled significantly, and a ladder was brought in to assist her. Many argued this gave her an unfair advantage that ultimately allowed her to stay in contention with Nicola Adams.
Taking to social media platform X, audiences expressed their discontent. One user wrote: '@NicolaAdamsOBE was robbed of that trophy. If @VogueWilliams hadn't been given the ladder so she could climb up the rope, she would've been nowhere near Nicola.' Another added, 'How on earth can Vogue win after being literally given a ‘leg up’ on a ladder!' with the hashtag #Gladiators.
Further comments accused the production of being 'so unfair' and claimed 'Nicola was totally robbed, Vogue cheated.' Some even criticised Williams's victory celebration as 'very unsportsmanlike.'
Men's Contest and Runner-Up Reactions
In the men's competition, fitness coach Joe Wicks, 40, used his athletic prowess to overcome reality star Sam Thompson, 33, completing the Eliminator first. Despite his fitness background, Wicks admitted the final challenge was tough, saying, 'Even though I had a bit of a breather, I still found that Travelator hard. It's much harder than watching it at home on TV.' He praised Thompson as an 'amazing partner.'
Nicola Adams, who received the runner-up prize, revealed she had been carrying an injury during the final, telling presenter Bradley Walsh, 'I came down on the zipline and I just landed funny on my ankle. And then I just couldn't get my ankle going.' She quipped about her silver medal, 'It's the first silver medal I've had.'
Despite the controversy, the festive special provided thrilling entertainment, with Sam Thompson summing up the experience by exclaiming, 'I'm so chuffed, it is so amazing. The crowd, everybody here - that was so fun!'
