Saturday night sees the return of the iconic hit 90s TV show Gladiators – and two Brunel alumni are part of the strong and mighty superhumans who will compete against the contestants.
The drama, the eliminator and an indoor arena will all be back on our screens as a new generation of gladiators take on a brave batch of contestants in a brand new series.
Montell Douglas is one of the 16-strong group of gladiators and is also a Brunel University London alumna, having graduated in 2008 with a BSc in Sports Science.
The Londoner went on to join Team GB and competed in the 100m sprint at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In 2016, she joined the bobsleigh team and made Team GB history by becoming the first British woman selected to compete in different sports at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
This winter, Montell is competing in a very different kind of games, and she's ready to ignite the Gladiators arena as ‘Fire’.
Montell Douglas as 'Fire'
"Being a gladiator has been a secret lifelong dream of mine,” said Montell. “As a strong and powerful woman, I'm living proof that you can achieve your dreams, no matter your age or background - if you believe and keep pushing. I'm ready to light up the competition."
Joining Montell in the ultra-strong line-up is Brunel alumnus Toby Olubi. Toby also graduated from Brunel in 2008, with a degree in Economics.
He went on to join Team GB’s four-man bobsleigh team and competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
The Londoner is fast and fearless and he’s ready to show us his speed and strength as the unstoppable ‘Phantom’.
Toby Olubi as 'Phantom'
Becoming a gladiator is also a dream come true for Toby, who remembers watching the series as a child. “I'm a 90s kid, so the gladiators of the past were my version of real-life superheroes,” he said.
“Gladiators is all about stepping up against the odds and bringing the best version of yourself.
“We will be given the biggest entertainment platform to represent that ethos, and I couldn't be more proud and grateful to be a gladiator. Let the show begin!"
The 11-part series will be hosted by father-and-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh, and the first hour-long episode will air on Saturday at 5:50pm, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Follow Fire on Instagram: @firethegladiator
Follow Phantom on Instagram: @phantom_thegladiator
Pictures (c) BBC
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.acuk