Have you heard of the American Gladiators Controversy? The popular 90s television show that ended in 2009 is back again. As of 2023, BBC is all set to release The Gladiators, and fans cannot wait for the new season. Despite its popularity, American Gladiators faced much criticism from the audience, and the show got canceled in 2009. Want to know what happened? Keep reading till the end to find out more.
Are you a fan of American Gladiators? The popular television series first aired in 1989 and introduced us to a new kind of game show experience. The contestants had to compete against professional athletes (Gladiators) in various games. The reality series entertained the viewers for seven seasons from 1989-1996. Have you ever watched the show?
In 2008, American Gladiators made a comeback on NBC with two new seasons of the show. Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan joined the show as a host alongside boxer Laila Ali. Though fans loved watching the show, it could not gather a massive audience. In March 2009, NBC released a statement mentioning that the show got canceled.
Now we have good news for those who have not watched the show previously. According to the BBC press office on Twitter, the iconic game show is ready to make its comeback on BBC. Like every season, this time, there are 13 professional athletes (Gladiators) joining the show. As for the hosts, actor Bradley Walsh and his son Barney Walsh have also joined the upcoming series of Gladiators. We are excited about the show, are you?
Over the years, the reality series has gone through a lot of controversies and criticism. Former Gladiator cast member Diana Youdale revealed that she suffered from a neck injury during the show. She left the show in 1996. Just like Diana, there are many stories and controversies regarding American Gladiators. Let’s find out.
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American Gladiators Controversy: Explained
It’s nothing new for television shows to get into controversies. Similarly, American Gladiators also received some backlash from the audience and the contestants for several reasons. Want to know what happened to the show? Here’s what we know.
After the show ended in 2009, the athletes who were once a part of American Gladiators revealed some unknown facts about the reality series. They said the show had an unhealthy work environment and lacked proper management. Diana Youdale appeared on the series as Jet and suffered from a brutal injury during the show. Here’s what the American Gladiators athlete had to say about her experience.
Diana joined the cast of Gladiators in 1992 and almost lost her life due to an accident on the show. During one of the games, Youdale fell from a pyramid and suffered a brutal neck injury. At the time, Diana thought it was the end of her career. She said- “I remember thinking, have I broken my neck?”
Fortunately, the injury was not fatal, but Diana left the show after the incident. She said-“I had a choice, and I made that choice, and that was to leave.”
Other than Diana, former athlete Michael Wilson also opened up about his time on the show. Wilson joined American Gladiators in 1992 alongside Diana. In an interview with Mirror, Michael revealed that his fellow cast members were fond of parties and alcohol.
Further, Wilson revealed how drinking became a part of his lifestyle. He said-“I used to drink too much during the first three years.” After spending six years on the show, Michael left American Gladiators in 2009 when the show got canceled by NBC.
Netflix Releases A Documentary on American Gladiators.
After BBC’s upcoming American Gladiators reality series, Netflix has also launched a new documentary series on the Gladiators. The limited series Muscle and Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators dropped on Netflix on June 28, 2023. Have you watched the show yet?
The documentary has a total of five episodes, and it talks about the lives of the American Gladiators and what happened to them after their stardom. Some of the stars who appeared in the series are famous bodybuilder Danny Lee Clark, retired NFL star Michael Horton, and many others.
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