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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.

Screenshot of a Gladiator contestant being interviewed.
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Nitro has been forced to pull out of the competition after suffering an injuryCredit: BBC
Screenshot of a muscular man in a wrestling singlet being interviewed by two men in suits.
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The athlete will still appear on the show - but not in the competitionCredit: BBC

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. 

Read more on Gladiators

“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.

Two new Gladiators revealed as British rowing champ and super strong weightlifter

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.

Meet the Gladiators finalists

The Gladiators final takes place on Easter Saturday at 5.30pm on BBC One.

After ten gruelling weeks facing the superhuman Gladiators, four contenders have made it through to the grand final.

The Gladiators 2024 finalists are:

Finlay Anderson - Army officer Finlay, 34, from Edinburgh has made it to the final despite being injured in the quarter-final.

Wesley Male - Even though he joined in the quarter-final stage, part-time Leeds wrestler Wesley, 35, has proved a force to be reckoned with on the Gladiators gauntlet.

Bronte Jones - This 23-year-old firefighter from Sheffield is the youngest contender in the final.

Marie-Louise Nicholson - Hailing from Dublin, Marie-Louise, 28, is a fitness coach who has scored maximum points five times on Gladiators.

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.

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