The BBC has officially confirmed that the hit show Gladiators will return for a fourth series in 2027, alongside a brand-new celebrity special featuring famous faces competing in the arena. The announcement comes two years after the show's successful reboot, which has captivated audiences across the UK.
Return to Sheffield's Utilita Arena
The action will once again take place at Sheffield's Utilita Arena, where a fresh group of contenders will face the ultimate test of strength, agility and endurance against the formidable Gladiators. Father and son presenting duo Bradley Walsh and Barney Walsh are set to return, guiding viewers through another season packed with intense battles and family entertainment.
Fans eager to experience the excitement in person can now apply for free audience tickets to upcoming recordings, offering the chance to watch the action unfold live from the arena.
New and Returning Events
The new series will introduce a soon-to-be-revealed event, as well as the other well-known challenges such as Duel, Hang Tough and the iconic Eliminator. Popular additions from the previous season — Everest, Destruction and Suspension Bridge — are also set to return after receiving a strong response from viewers.
Production and Audience Success
Produced by Hungry Bear Media in partnership with MGM Alternative UK, part of Amazon MGM Studios, Gladiators remains one of the BBC's flagship entertainment programmes. The most recent series, which ended in March, attracted an average audience of 4.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer over a 28-day period, performing particularly strongly among younger audiences.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, the BBC's Head of Entertainment, praised the show's enduring popularity and said: "Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights. With a brand‑new series confirmed and another Celebrity Special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again."
Hungry Bear Media Managing Director Dan Baldwin also expressed his enthusiasm and said: "We are immensely proud to welcome Gladiators back to its rightful home on the BBC. This year is bigger, bolder, it’s more gruelling, and it’s going to be spectacular! We have some huge surprises for the audience. The countdown begins now…"
Episode Details and Streaming Availability
The forthcoming series will consist of 11 hour-long episodes, while the celebrity special will air as a standalone 60-minute programme. The production is commissioned for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with executive producers from Hungry Bear Media and MGM Alternative UK overseeing the project. All previous episodes of Gladiators are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
