Jump directly to the content

SUPERFIT Davina McCall is top of TV bosses’ wish list of competitors for the new celebrity Gladiators spin-off.

The news will be consolation for the former Big Brother presenter, 56, who said she fancied hosting the rebooted show, but lost out to Bradley Walsh and his son Barney.

Davina McCall is top of TV bosses’ wish list of competitors for the celebrity Gladiators spin-off
2
Davina McCall is top of TV bosses’ wish list of competitors for the celebrity Gladiators spin-offCredit: Joe Pepler/PinPep
The creators are also hoping to recruit Towie star Mark Wright
2
The creators are also hoping to recruit Towie star Mark WrightCredit: The Sun

The creators are also hoping to recruit Towie star Mark Wright, 37, and Made in Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews, 35.

A TV insider said: “The BBC want big name contestants with the kind of strength and agility needed to compete with the intimidating gang of gladiators.

Davina is incredibly fit and already looks keen to be involved, even if she has only previously talked about lending her presenting skills.

“As for the blokes, the producers love the idea of getting the fellas in to see if their gym-honed muscles are just for show or if they’ve got genuine brawn.”

READ MORE IN TV

Before Gladiators was rebooted, Davina took to  Twitter and said: “Bagsy present it.”

But it returned this year with the Walsh duo replacing Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu and proved a huge hit.

More than six million tuned in for Saturday night’s launch.

Dan Baldwin, boss of Hungry Bear Media which produces the show, last week confirmed the celebrity special, which is likely to be filmed later this year.

The BBC declined to comment.

Behind the scenes at the new Gladiators
Topics