GLADIATORS aired a shock tonight with the new series with one of its main stars being forced to quit the competition.
The BBC fitness competition returned tonight for a brand new series but for fans there was a missing face hitting the mats.
Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – has been forced to withdraw from the competition.
The super-fit former Team GB sprinter announced the sad news during tonight’s episode.
Hosts Bradley and Barney Walsh announced that one of the Gladiators had sustained an injury during training and would be withdrawing – before introducing Nitro.
He said: “Obviously you know I’m explosive, I’m powerful.
“Sometimes I’m too powerful. And I ended up hurting myself. I’ve got a little bit of a dodgy knee.
“But these things happen in sport, you know, when you’re pushing yourself as hard as you do.
“The pecs aren’t going anywhere – they’re right here. They’re staying here.
“I need all those Nitro fans out there to give me some energy because I need to recharge.”
The news comes after The Sun revealed two new Gladiators were joining the show.
The new Gladiators are esteemed athletes called Cyclone and Hammer, and behind their stage names, their real names are Lystus Ebosele and Tom Wilson.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Two new Gladiators revealed as British rowing champ and super strong weightlifter” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367122443112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]One is a British rowing champion, and the other is a super-strong weightlifter.
Newcomer Lystus, who is 23 years of age, is a classic powerlifter who represents Ireland.
She hit 235 kilograms (518 pounds) in knee sleeves at the 2023 IPF World Junior Powerlifting Championships (WJC) in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Meanwhile, another fellow newcomer Tom is an indoor rower from Nottingham, UK who won the 2024 British Indoor Rowing Championships.
He also competed in the 2024 European and World Indoor Rowing Championships.