Shaun Stephen, a 20-year-old aerospace apprentice from Lancashire, paid a heartfelt tribute to his father during the latest episode of the BBC's Gladiators. Stephen wore his dad's original tracksuit from the 1995 series, in which his father reached the semi-finals.
Speaking before his challenge, Stephen said: 'My dad was on Gladiators in 1995 and he got all the way to the semi-finals.' His father appeared on camera, joking: 'You've obviously got the edge over me with youth but just remember your old dad will still beat you at an arm wrestle.'
Host Bradley Walsh noted Stephen's unusual attire, asking: 'This is interesting. This isn't our normal Gladiators outfit. What's going on there?' Stephen explained: 'My dad was actually a contender in 1995. This is the original tracksuit. Only about 10 people may have this in the world, it's from his series and I thought I'd do him proud and wear it today.'
Despite his father's proud cheering from the audience, Stephen did not advance to the next round. He had hoped to surpass his dad's achievement, saying: 'He got all the way to the semi-finals and we're competitive, I'm ready to take it one step further and beat him and get to the finals at least.'
