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Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series)

From Alfawiki
Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series)
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryEntertainment, Television
FoundedMarch 30, 2008; 18 years ago (2008-03-30)
Headquarters
Sydney
,
Australia
Area served
Australia
Key people
Tom Williams, Zoe Naylor, Bill Harrigan, John Forsythe, 'Chief' Brabon
ProductsTelevision game show
Number of employees
13 Gladiators (cast)
ParentSeven Network

Gladiators was an Australian TV series broadcast on the Seven Network in 2008, serving as a revival of the original 1995 program. This iteration was adapted from the American version of the show, which also saw a relaunch in 2008.

The revival was announced in September 2007 and officially debuted on 30 March 2008 at 6:30 pm. Contestants competed for a grand prize consisting of A$50,000 along with a brand-new Subaru Forester. The show aired for a single season.

In July 2023, after the BBC brought back the British edition, Warner Bros. Television Studios confirmed a second revival of the Australian series. This version premiered on Network Ten on 15 January 2024, with hosting duties undertaken by Beau Ryan and Liz Ellis. However, it was discontinued in May due to insufficient viewer ratings.

Production

Filming took place at The Dome located within the Sydney Showground. The series was presented by Tom Williams alongside Zoe Naylor. Officiating the competitions were esteemed NRL referee Bill Harrigan and John Forsythe, who had served as a referee on the original series. The Sydney Altitude Cheerleaders performed routines throughout every episode, although they were not officially credited.

Behind the scenes, 'Chief' Brabon, a military fitness specialist, acted as the head strength and conditioning coach, preparing Gladiators for their physically demanding roles.

Selection process

All Gladiators and Challengers underwent a stringent selection procedure developed by 'Chief' Brabon, inspired by elite military and tactical training standards. The 'Barrier Test' proved to be a rigorous filter, with less than 10% of applicants passing the initial "Grunt Challenge." This challenge required participants to complete burpee-style exercises in sync with Chief’s cadence—Challengers needed to achieve 75 grunts to proceed, while Gladiators had to reach 100.

Pre-series training

Following the selection of 13 Gladiators, Chief together with producers launched an intensive six-week training program called "Camp Agoga." Alongside coach Emilie Brabon-Hames, they enhanced the athletes’ physical capabilities and appearance to attain their formidable, almost mythic performance standards.

Results

Note: Challengers highlighted in bold advanced to subsequent rounds. Times reflect Eliminator completion durations. DNR denotes competitors who did not run due to injury-related withdrawal.

Men

The overall Grand Final champion was Paul Baird.

Women

Natasha Haines secured victory in the Grand Final.

Episodes

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{{episode list |Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series) |}


Male

Female

Events

  • Atlasphere
  • Duel
  • Gauntlet
  • Hang Tough
  • Hit & Run
  • Pendulum
  • Powerball
  • Pyramid
  • Sumo Ball
  • Suspension Bridge
  • The Wall
  • Vertigo
  • Whiplash
  • Eliminator


Development

In early 2007, the original Gladiators appeared as guests on an episode of Where Are They Now?. This segment was utilized by the Seven Network to assess audience interest and viewership levels as a potential indicator for reviving the series.

Following consultation with producers and Chief Strength & Conditioning Coach Brabon, the selection of gladiators and challengers was finalized. Filming for the fourth season took place between 6 January and 10 February 2008 at The Dome, located within the Sydney Showground in New South Wales.

The choice of hosts garnered significant media focus. Male co-host duties were swiftly assigned to Seven Network presenter Tom Williams. For the female co-host position, a competitive audition process included notable swimmers such as Elka Graham and Brooke Hanson, alongside actors Zoe Ventoura and Samantha Noble. On 18 December 2007, reports identified former McLeod's Daughters actress Zoe Naylor as the frontrunner, with her ultimately securing the role.

Among the new Gladiators were former Australian rules football player Anthony Koutoufides, Olympic Pole vault athlete Tatiana Grigorieva, strongman competitor Derek Boyer, and ex-ironwoman Hayley Bateup. The other ten Gladiators were recruited from less publicly known backgrounds. The series notably elevated the profile of Tiffiny Hall, whose Gladiator character Angel gained considerable popularity.

Ratings

Notes


See also


External links

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