Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series)
Encyclopedia
Gladiators was an Australia
n television series which aired on the Seven Network
in 2008. It was a revival of the earlier series of the same name
, and was based on the American
version of the show, which was also revived in 2008
.
The show was filmed at The Dome at the Sydney Showground, and was hosted by Tom Williams and Zoe Naylor
. Well known NRL
referee Bill Harrigan
was one of the two referees for the show, the other was John Forsythe, who was a referee on the original series. Although not credited, the Sydney Altitude Cheerleaders were present in every episode, doing various routines throughout each episode whether an event was taking place or not.
Behind the scenes, highly respected military fitness expert 'Chief' Brabon (head strength & conditioning coach) was responsible for preparing the gladiators for their extremely physical roles.
The revival of Gladiators was first announced on 9 September 2007, and premiered on 30 March 2008 at 6:30 pm. The Challengers in this series competed to win A$
50,000 and a new Subaru Forester
.
No official announcement was made by the Seven Network as per the future plans for the series.
The so called 'Barrier Test' was based on similar selection programs that Chief had designed for elite military and law enforcement tactical response teams.
The barrier test was so successful at vetting would-be Gladiators & Challengers that less than 10% of applicants successfully completed the first event known as the Grunt Challenge. The challenge required participants to do a burpee style exercise (Grunts) to a cadence called by Chief himself. Prospective Challengers were required to complete a minimum of 75 Grunts to pass through to the next event, where as Gladiators were required to complete 100 Grunts.
The eventual winner of the Grand Final was Paul Baird.
The eventual winner of the Grand Final was Natasha Haines.
Episode 2 - 6 April 2008
Episode 3 - 13 April 2008
Episode 4 - 20 April 2008
Episode 5 - 27 April 2008
Episode 6 - 4 May 2008
Episode 7 - 11 May 2008
Episode 8 - 18 May 2008
Episode 9 - 25 May 2008
Episode 10 - 1 June 2008
Episode 11 - 8 June 2008
Episode 12 - 15 June 2008
Episode 13 - 22 June 2008
Episode 14 - 29 June 2008
Episode 15 - 6 July 2008
On 9 September 2007, it was officially announced by Seven that the show was being revived and will return for its fourth series in early 2008. Auditions for new gladiators took place via e-mail and closed on 16 October 2007 while auditions for challengers took place in Brisbane
, Sydney
, Melbourne
, Adelaide
and Perth
from 20 October to 4 November 2007. Once the gladiators and challengers had been chosen, filming of all the episodes for season four took place from 6 January 2008 to 10 February 2008 at The Dome, Sydney Showground, New South Wales
. Tickets went on sale for seats in the audience for $5 each from Ticketmaster
.
Speculation around who was going to host the new series was evident, with many reports in the media about celebrities which have either successfully or unsuccessfully auditioned. Seven Network
presenter Tom Williams was reportedly the only male who was auditioned, and was picked up for the male co-host role immediately. For the female co-host role, the process was more intense, with many females auditioning, including swimmers Elka Graham
and Brooke Hanson
as well as actors Zoe Ventoura
and Samantha Noble
. On 18 December 2007, it was reported in the media that former McLeod's Daughters
actor Zoe Naylor
was being seriously considered as the female host, with an insider stating that "She looked amazing in the screen tests and there was a great vibe between her and Tom. She's fresh and fun." She ultimately ended up being chosen for the female co-host position.
With new Gladiators being chosen for the new series, it was reported on 30 December 2007 that former Australian rules football
er Anthony Koutoufides
and Olympic
Pole vault
er Tatiana Grigorieva
were two of the new gladiators for the new series, but the Seven Network
refused to confirm the selections, even though these reports ended up being true. Strongman Derek Boyer
is the third celebrity to be picked up as a Gladiator, followed by former ironwoman Hayley Bateup being the fourth. The other ten Gladiators have a non-public background.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television series which aired on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
in 2008. It was a revival of the earlier series of the same name
Gladiators (Australian TV series)
Gladiators is an Australian television series which aired on Saturday nights on the Seven Network from 1995 until 1996 almost consecutively for eighteen months. It was based on the American version of the same name...
, and was based on the American
American Gladiators
American Gladiators is an American competition television program that aired in syndication from September 1989 to May 1996. The series matched a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own gladiators, in contests of strength and agility.The concept was created by...
version of the show, which was also revived in 2008
Gladiators (TV series)
There have been several TV series based on the Gladiators concept:* International competitions** International Gladiators 1** International Gladiators 2** Gladiators: The Ashes 1** Gladiators: The Ashes 2** Gladiators: Springbok Challenge 2* United Kingdom...
.
The show was filmed at The Dome at the Sydney Showground, and was hosted by Tom Williams and Zoe Naylor
Zoe Naylor
Zoe Naylor is an Australian actress as well as journalist, presenter, MC, model, voice-artist and producer.-Early life:...
. Well known NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
referee Bill Harrigan
Bill Harrigan
-External links:**http://www.billharrigan.com.au/Referee-career-pg2853.html*http://www.mediaman.com.au/profiles/harrigan.html*http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s1766903.htm*http://www.claxtonspeakers.com.au/speakers_profile/134...
was one of the two referees for the show, the other was John Forsythe, who was a referee on the original series. Although not credited, the Sydney Altitude Cheerleaders were present in every episode, doing various routines throughout each episode whether an event was taking place or not.
Behind the scenes, highly respected military fitness expert 'Chief' Brabon (head strength & conditioning coach) was responsible for preparing the gladiators for their extremely physical roles.
The revival of Gladiators was first announced on 9 September 2007, and premiered on 30 March 2008 at 6:30 pm. The Challengers in this series competed to win A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
50,000 and a new Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is an all-wheel drive crossover wagon manufactured since 1997 by Fuji Heavy Industries and sold under the Subaru brand...
.
No official announcement was made by the Seven Network as per the future plans for the series.
Selection
To ensure that both Gladiators, and Challengers were of the highest possible calibre, all prospects were submitted to a grueling physical selection process designed by the shows head strength & conditioning coach 'Chief' Brabon.The so called 'Barrier Test' was based on similar selection programs that Chief had designed for elite military and law enforcement tactical response teams.
The barrier test was so successful at vetting would-be Gladiators & Challengers that less than 10% of applicants successfully completed the first event known as the Grunt Challenge. The challenge required participants to do a burpee style exercise (Grunts) to a cadence called by Chief himself. Prospective Challengers were required to complete a minimum of 75 Grunts to pass through to the next event, where as Gladiators were required to complete 100 Grunts.
Results
Note: Challengers which are bolded advanced through to the next stage. Times listed next to the challengers' name is their runtime for the Eliminator. DNR indicates the challenger did not run the Eliminator due to the other challenger pulling out from injury.Men
| Damien Nicholls | 0:55 | ||||||||||||
| Sam Brodie | Damien Nicholls | ||||||||||||
| Simon Pavolo | Nick Hicks | 1:01 | |||||||||||
| Nathan Wood Nathan Wood Nathan Wood is an Australian former professional rugby league player. Wood played in almost every position during his career, from fullback to second-row.-Playing career:... |
1:05 | Philip Breslin | |||||||||||
| Nick Hicks | 1:04 | Nick Hicks | |||||||||||
| Marcus Saltmarsh | Nathan Wood | ||||||||||||
| Phillip Breslin | 0:57 | Phillip Breslin | |||||||||||
| Shane Elisara | Nick Hicks | ||||||||||||
| Shaun Baxter | Paul Baird | ||||||||||||
| Joseph McKay | 1:06 | Joseph McKay | |||||||||||
| Lincoln Burns | 1:08 | Lincoln Burns | |||||||||||
| Nikolai Sawaszenko | Joseph McKay | ||||||||||||
| Simon Orton | DNR | Paul Baird | |||||||||||
| James Stretch | Simon Orton | ||||||||||||
| Hayden Forder | Paul Baird | ||||||||||||
| Paul Baird | 0:56 | ||||||||||||
The eventual winner of the Grand Final was Paul Baird.
Women
| Natasha Haines | 1:19 | ||||||||||||
| Bryony Barker | Nicole Sawon | ||||||||||||
| Georgie Leake | 1:27 | Natasha Haines | 1:11 | ||||||||||
| Janere Reid | Natasha Haines | ||||||||||||
| Julie Casella | Georgie Leake | ||||||||||||
| Nicole Sawon | 1:21 | Georgie Leake | |||||||||||
| Rony Lebovics | Ashleigh Kelly | ||||||||||||
| Ashleigh Kelly | DNR | Natasha Haines | |||||||||||
| Jacqueline Watson | 1:26 | Jacqueline Watson | |||||||||||
| Emily Sharp | Kim Papp | ||||||||||||
| Kim Papp | 1:26 | Jacqueline Watson | |||||||||||
| Louise Symonds | Jacqueline Watson | ||||||||||||
| Michelle Halemai | Michaela Williams | ||||||||||||
| Michaela Williams | 1:26 | Kristine Banks-Smith | |||||||||||
| Kristine Banks-Smith | 1:28 | Michaela Williams | |||||||||||
| Jessica Scott | |||||||||||||
The eventual winner of the Grand Final was Natasha Haines.
Episode events
Episode 1 - 30 March 2008- Gauntlet, Duel, Pyramid, Pendulum
Episode 2 - 6 April 2008
- Hit and Run, The Wall, Sumo Ball, Pyramid
Episode 3 - 13 April 2008
- Hang Tough, Atlasphere, Suspension Bridge, Vertigo
Episode 4 - 20 April 2008
- Pendulum, Gauntlet, Hang Tough, Powerball
Episode 5 - 27 April 2008
- Duel, Vertigo, Pyramid, Hit and Run
Episode 6 - 4 May 2008
- Gauntlet, Hit and Run, Sumo Ball, The Wall
Episode 7 - 11 May 2008
- Gauntlet, Duel, Pendulum, Pyramid
Episode 8 - 18 May 2008
- Suspension Bridge, Powerball, Hang Tough, Atlasphere
Episode 9 - 25 May 2008
- Pendulum, Whiplash, Gauntlet, The Wall
Episode 10 - 1 June 2008
- Atlasphere, Vertigo, Suspension Bridge, Pyramid
Episode 11 - 8 June 2008
- Gauntlet, Hang Tough, Powerball, Sumo Ball
Episode 12 - 15 June 2008
- Hit and Run, The Wall, Duel, Pyramid
Episode 13 - 22 June 2008
- Vertigo, Suspension Bridge, Powerball, The Wall
Episode 14 - 29 June 2008
- Pendulum, Gauntlet, Duel, Whiplash
Episode 15 - 6 July 2008
- Gauntlet, Hang Tough, Sumo Ball, Pyramid
Male
- Hunter - Zac Kozyrski
- Kouta - Anthony KoutoufidesAnthony KoutoufidesAnthony Koutoufides is a former Australian rules footballer with the Carlton Football Club. One of the most powerful and athletic players of all-time, he played in almost every position and was often called the prototype of the modern footballer.Of Greek and Italian descent, Koutoufides has been...
- Nomad - Ali Ahmadi
- Outlaw - Jackson MullaneJackson MullaneJackson Mullane is an Australian actor known for his portrayal of Outlaw in the Gladiators . Mullane is also a State Representative rugby union player....
- Scar - Michael Gore
- Tank - Bobby Tuimaualuga
- Thunder - Derek BoyerDerek BoyerDerek Boyer is a Fijian-Australian actor, powerlifter, and strongman competitor.-Strongman/Powerlifting:...
Female
- Amazon - Shari Onley
- Angel - Tiffiny HallTiffiny HallTiffiny Hall is an Australian author and media presenter best known from television appearances on Channel Ten's morning show The Circle and The Biggest Loser: Families .-Education:...
- Bionica - Stephanie Lethborg
- Destiny - Karen Harding
- Nitro - Hayley Bateup
- Olympia - Tatiana GrigorievaTatiana GrigorievaTatiana Grigorieva is a retired Australian pole vaulter. She retired from the sport in 2007 after a 10 year career that saw her win Olympic, Commonwealth and World Championship medals...
- Viper - Sarah Howett
Development
In early 2007, an episode of the television series Where Are They Now featured some of the original Gladiators as special guests. The Seven Network used this segment as research towards reviving the show depending on viewer numbers for the episode as well as if the ratings fell after the end of the segment.On 9 September 2007, it was officially announced by Seven that the show was being revived and will return for its fourth series in early 2008. Auditions for new gladiators took place via e-mail and closed on 16 October 2007 while auditions for challengers took place in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
from 20 October to 4 November 2007. Once the gladiators and challengers had been chosen, filming of all the episodes for season four took place from 6 January 2008 to 10 February 2008 at The Dome, Sydney Showground, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Tickets went on sale for seats in the audience for $5 each from Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. is an independent American ticket sales and distribution company based in West Hollywood, California, USA, with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010 it merged with Live Nation to become Live Nation Entertainment...
.
Speculation around who was going to host the new series was evident, with many reports in the media about celebrities which have either successfully or unsuccessfully auditioned. Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
presenter Tom Williams was reportedly the only male who was auditioned, and was picked up for the male co-host role immediately. For the female co-host role, the process was more intense, with many females auditioning, including swimmers Elka Graham
Elka Graham
Elka Whalan is a retired Australian swimmer who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics. Graham specialised in the 200m and 400m freestyle events, also swimming the 800m freestyle...
and Brooke Hanson
Brooke Hanson
Brooke Louise Hanson OAM is a former Australian swimmer.A swimmer since the age of four, Hanson was the youngest swimmer on the Australian national team at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, where she finished fourth in the 200 m breaststroke...
as well as actors Zoe Ventoura
Zoe Ventoura
Zoe Ventoura is an Australian actress. In early life she attended Penrhos College in Perth, Western Australia. Ventoura is best known for portraying Melissa Rafter in Packed to the Rafters...
and Samantha Noble
Samantha Noble
Samantha C. Noble is an Australian actress who has worked on television series and films. She is currently best known for her role as Jade/Amitiel in Gabriel, and has appeared in several films including See No Evil and .-Personal life:...
. On 18 December 2007, it was reported in the media that former McLeod's Daughters
McLeod's Daughters
McLeod's Daughters is a Logie award-winning Australian drama series that aired on the Nine Network from 2001 to 2009. It tells the story of two sisters, Claire and Tess McLeod, who are reunited after they inherit the family farm...
actor Zoe Naylor
Zoe Naylor
Zoe Naylor is an Australian actress as well as journalist, presenter, MC, model, voice-artist and producer.-Early life:...
was being seriously considered as the female host, with an insider stating that "She looked amazing in the screen tests and there was a great vibe between her and Tom. She's fresh and fun." She ultimately ended up being chosen for the female co-host position.
With new Gladiators being chosen for the new series, it was reported on 30 December 2007 that former Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er Anthony Koutoufides
Anthony Koutoufides
Anthony Koutoufides is a former Australian rules footballer with the Carlton Football Club. One of the most powerful and athletic players of all-time, he played in almost every position and was often called the prototype of the modern footballer.Of Greek and Italian descent, Koutoufides has been...
and Olympic
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
Pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
er Tatiana Grigorieva
Tatiana Grigorieva
Tatiana Grigorieva is a retired Australian pole vaulter. She retired from the sport in 2007 after a 10 year career that saw her win Olympic, Commonwealth and World Championship medals...
were two of the new gladiators for the new series, but the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
refused to confirm the selections, even though these reports ended up being true. Strongman Derek Boyer
Derek Boyer
Derek Boyer is a Fijian-Australian actor, powerlifter, and strongman competitor.-Strongman/Powerlifting:...
is the third celebrity to be picked up as a Gladiator, followed by former ironwoman Hayley Bateup being the fourth. The other ten Gladiators have a non-public background.
Ratings
The following Table displays the Total Audience (5 City Metro) for each episode, as recorded by OZTAM and reported on MediaSpy| Airdate | Total Viewers | Position in Nightly Top Ten | Position in Timeslot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 March 2008 | 1,847,000 | #1 | Winner |
| 6 April 2008 | 1,571,000 | #1 | Winner |
| 13 April 2008 | 1,427,000 | #5 | Winner |
| 20 April 2008 | 1,560,000 | #3 | Winner |
| 27 April 2008 | 1,366,000 | #7 | Second |
| 4 May 2008 | 1,276,000 | #6 | Second |
| 11 May 2008 | 1,298,000 | #6 | Winner |
| 18 May 2008 | 1,379,000 | #4 | Winner |
| 25 May 2008 | 1,262,000 | #6 | Second |
| 1 June 2008 | 1,229,000 | #8 | Second |
| 8 June 2008 | 1,035,000 | #9 | Second |
| 15 June 2008 | 1,277,000 | #10 | Second |
| 22 June 2008 | 1,264,000 | #7 | Second |
| 29 June 2008 | 1,020,000* | #11 | Second |
| 6 July 2008 | 1,258,000 | #6 | Second |