Kids ask the Gladiators all the questions grown-ups never would

Forget traditional TV – kids today are obsessed with Gladiators! The reboot of the classic ’90s show on BBC1 has surprisingly captured the attention of children across the UK and even internationally, holding its own against video games, TikTok, and everything else competing for their time.

Sheli McCoy, known as Gladiator Sabre, shared with TopMob that her brother, who lives in Dubai, hosts watch parties for the show Gladiators with his children, her niece and nephew, and their friends. The first series of the show was downloaded 90 million times worldwide.

Zack George, who performs as Steel, explains that interacting with children feels like being a real superhero. He says seeing their happiness and bright smiles is incredibly rewarding and a truly amazing experience.

Fire, AKA Montell Douglas

Charlotte, aged 8, asks: What makes you so quick?

People often ask what allows me to run so fast. It’s definitely connected to my hair – it’s kind of my superpower! When I move quickly, it trails behind me like flames, and I truly believe that’s a key part of what gives me my speed.

I’ve been running and training intensely for a long time, and I’m naturally very fast – it’s almost like a superpower, which also makes me stronger.

So lots and lots of training. Lots of sprinting. It’s why I’m so fast.

Isaac, aged 5, has asked: Who are better, the old Gladiators or the new Gladiators?

I see us as continuing their work and carrying on their impact, and that’s really all that matters to me.

And Izzy, aged 7, has said: Do your muscles hurt all the time?

Not as much as the contenders. No, I’m joking.

We’re busy, and sometimes things get difficult. It’s important to put in enough effort so you can feel like you’re accomplishing something, because hard work can definitely be challenging.

I know I’m pushing myself hard and seeing real progress, which leads to great results. While it’s challenging, I don’t experience constant pain because I prioritize taking care of my body – it’s important to treat it well and keep it healthy.

Steel, AKA Zack George

Penny, aged 5: How is Steel so steel? (This is one of my favourite questions from the whole list.)

I hear that a lot! People are always asking how much of me is actually made of steel, like if my arms are metal.

I’ve built up my strength and resilience through incredibly consistent training. For the past decade, I’ve worked out twelve times a week – that’s two sessions a day, six days out of seven.

For the past decade as a professional athlete, I’ve maintained a strict routine of eating six meals daily, totaling around 4,500 calories, along with consistent hydration and plenty of sleep.

My training involves a lot of intense sessions and burning a lot of calories, and I really enjoy it. As a versatile competitor, I need to be prepared for any challenge, so my workouts are incredibly diverse.

I get my cardio through a mix of running, swimming, cycling, and rowing. For strength training, I focus on Olympic lifts like cleans, jerks, and snatches, along with squats and bench presses. I also incorporate gymnastics into my routine, which makes for a really diverse and extensive workout schedule that I’ve been doing for a long time.

And I’ve been very healthy for about 10 years.

What kind of meals are you having?

I eat the same breakfast every day: a bowl of porridge, two bagels, and six eggs. But the rest of my meals are quite different – anything from pasta to a baked potato or chicken salad. It really varies, but I always stick to that same breakfast.

The breakfast of champions.

The breakfast of champions. The breakfast of Gladiators.

Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Can you bend a steel bar (with your bare hands)?

Yes.

Seb, aged 8, asks: If you woke up tomorrow and all your muscles disappeared, what job would you do?

So if I lost all my muscle, I’m going to go back to my pursuit of being a table tennis player.

Are you still good now?

If you haven’t had table tennis training, it’s unlikely you’ll win against me. At my gym, it’s a running joke that I’m so good, I can beat people even while using a shoe or a phone – basically anything instead of a proper paddle.

That’s great. Is it harder to play when you’re in Gladiator shape, when you’re a bit bigger, or no?

That makes sense. It’s effective because being very muscular can hinder agility. If I were to lose muscle mass, I’d actually be well-suited for playing table tennis.

Here’s a question from 11-year-old Josie: If you could give your younger self, at age 11, one piece of advice, what would it be?

Growing up, I really struggled with self-confidence. I was incredibly self-conscious about my appearance, to the point where I’d actually skip school just to avoid swimming lessons – I was too embarrassed to change and show my body. Honestly, I didn’t take care of myself either; my diet was terrible.

If I could give my younger self advice, it would be to stop comparing myself to others. I spent too much time worrying about why I didn’t look like them.

I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to stop comparing myself to others. Everyone is different and has their own strengths, so it’s important to focus on being happy and confident in who you are.

It’s important to remember that everyone’s path is unique. We all move at our own pace and reach our goals in different timeframes. Just because something takes me longer doesn’t mean I’m doing anything wrong – it simply means that’s the time it takes for me.

I always say, focus on your own journey. Everyone reaches their goals at a different pace, so don’t compare yourself to others. Just be happy and confident in who you are.

Legend, AKA Matt Morsia

The first question is from eight-year-old Aurelia, who says: Are you really a legend?

That question is just silly, and frankly, a bit rude. It doesn’t make any sense, and I’m not going to answer it. It seems like Aurelia and her family need to rethink how they approach things – she especially needs to improve her understanding and the way she asks questions.

Fair enough. Well, if you didn’t like that one, Charlotte, aged 8, says: Why are you a doughnut?

It seems to me that someone older is really guiding Charlotte’s response here. I think it’s probably a resentful, envious person who sees me as someone they can’t reach, and they’ve pushed their child to call me a silly name – a doughnut.

I’m definitely not a doughnut, though I enjoy eating them! I’m a very talented person, and I happen to be good at pretty much anything I try.

This prompted her next question: she wondered why we had chosen “Simply the Best” as our theme song.

That song is essentially a musical biography of my life. It’s something many people don’t know, but the lyrics were actually written about me and my experiences.

Noah, aged 7, asks: How did you get so much muscle?

Leila, aged 7, asks: What do you want to be when you grow up?

You grow up. What’s her name? Sienna?

Leila.

Leila? Leila needs to grow up.

Emilio, who’s 10, asks: Are you paid to be arrogant?

Alfie, aged 10, asks: How many marshmallows can you fit in your mouth at once?

I attempted it once, but we had to pause because I ate through an entire, large bag of marshmallows – seriously, a family-sized one! I can actually fit a surprising amount in my mouth, and still have room for more. We even had to restart the game just to get more marshmallows!

Yeah. The hydraulic press.

I eat marshmallows so quickly, they disappear one after another! By the time I get to the last few, the first ones are already completely gone – it’s like they’re moving along an assembly line.

And Alfie’s last question was: PS, how do I become more of a legend like you?

Alfie, let’s be realistic. If you asked me how to become a T-Rex, I’d tell you it’s impossible. It’s just not going to happen, and you need to understand that.

Look, what really struck me about this… well, it’s not a movie, but it feels like a message a great movie would deliver. It’s simple: believe in yourself! Seriously, so many of us struggle with self-doubt, and this really hammers home the idea that if you have confidence and faith in your own abilities, you can become the best version of yourself. If there’s something you want to achieve, don’t hesitate – just go for it. It’s a powerful, uplifting concept, and honestly, we could all use a reminder like that.

You’ll often find you don’t regret taking chances or trying new things. In fact, you’re much more likely to regret not doing them. So go ahead, take the leap, and just do it!

Eight-year-old Seb asked: If you woke up tomorrow and suddenly lost all your muscles, what kind of work would you do?

It’s likely either the UK Prime Minister or the King would fill the position, depending on availability. I’d expect it to be one of them.

Nitro, AKA Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

From Daniel, aged 7: Nitro, what is your favourite dinner?

Let me tell you about Nitro – this guy can cook. But honestly, my pre-performance ritual? It’s all about pizza. Every single week before a big show, I need a pizza. I can whip up a decent one myself, but my perfect pizza is loaded: pepperoni, mozzarella, and a serious kick from spicy pepperoni and nduja. Seriously, the nduja makes all the difference! I even drizzle a little hot honey on there for extra sweetness. I’m talking a proper Neapolitan-style pizza, stone-baked with a beautifully puffy crust. It just hits the spot and gets me ready to go.

Nine-year-old Regan wants to know when I started working out and what motivated me to become a Gladiator.

I’ve been preparing for challenges my entire life. Even things like playing games – like Monopoly – have taught me valuable lessons about winning and losing. All these experiences, starting when I was a child, have shaped me into someone who’s ready for anything. I’ve always focused on having fun, learning, and being flexible, which are all essential for personal growth and becoming the best version of myself.

Great. So these kids better start getting ready.

Exactly.

Six-year-old Evan asked a surprisingly tough question: Which of the other Gladiators scares you the most?

Honestly, I’d be a little intimidated by Diamond! She’s got a really sassy personality, and let me tell you, she gets hangry – seriously grumpy when she’s hungry. She’s definitely a handful, but in a fun way!

Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Who is your best friend on Gladiators?

If I had to pick my best friend from Gladiators, it would definitely be Viper. We just really connect – I feel like I always know what he’s thinking and feeling, and we’ve been close for a long time.

For the girls’ team, I’d likely choose Diamond or Dynamite. They’re my top picks because we get along well and have a positive vibe together.

Lovely. And 5-year-old Joe says quite simply: How fast can Nitro run?

I’m incredibly proud to say Nitro just ran the 100 meters in 9.90 seconds! And honestly, I can hit speeds of up to 27 miles per hour, which means I’d be getting pulled over constantly if I tried that in London – so many speeding tickets!

Sabre, AKA Sheli McCoy

Charlotte, who’s aged 8, had a lot of questions for you. First: Do you like lions?

I absolutely adore lions. I could honestly watch them all day long – they’re just fascinating.

Do you have a pet lion?

I have a pet dog that looks like a wolf. His name is Alpha. It’s pretty close.

I think I heard somewhere that you wanted Alpha to be your Gladiator name?

Yeah, and they wouldn’t give me it.

That’s annoying. I guess because then you’d be top.

Yeah. Hierarchy. Although we have one called Legend.

True. Well, this is related: What made you choose the name Sabre?

Because I am wild, fierce, and formidable, and very, very rare – as is a Sabre-toothed tiger.

Finally from Charlotte: How big are your teeth?

I have pretty normal-sized teeth, but a really strong jaw. They’re actually quite white and shiny, too. Something interesting – my mouthguard has fake fangs on it! If you look closely when I smile in the next episode, you’ll see them – it really looks like I have saber teeth when I wear it.

Nathalie, age 10, and Cami, age 6, teamed up to ask this question for Sabre: What’s been your favorite sign you’ve seen in the audience?

“Sabre, will you marry my dad?”

That’s good. Did you get in touch?

Honestly, there are around fifty of them – it’s always the dads who really stand out in the audience. They’ve encouraged their kids to make signs and come prepared.

I guess the BBC or whoever would probably blur out the phone numbers at the bottom.

I’m not sure, but I heard Apollo received a note in his dressing room recently with a woman’s phone number and Instagram username on it.

Josie, aged 11, asks: What piece of advice would you give your 11-year-old self?

That’s good advice.

It’s a big question.

Fury, AKA Jodie Ounsley

Charlotte, aged 8, asks: Why did you join Gladiators?

I joined because it’s a family thing – my dad competed on the original Gladiators, and we’ve always been interested in the show. I wanted to see if I had what it takes to become a Gladiator and really test my limits.

Penny, aged 5, says: Is Fury furious when she doesn’t win?

I’m not always angry. Usually, I try to accept what happens, stay humble, and learn from it to improve. But occasionally, I do get furious.

Ten-year-old Nathalie and six-year-old Cami had a couple of ideas for the show Gladiators. They wondered if a new event could be added, and suggested something called “The Scruminator!”

So I think coal-carrying needs to be a new event. It’s a Yorkshire event.

Perfect. I could imagine all your fellow Gladiators and contenders with sacks of coal

Absolutely! This could be a close competition, like a thrilling showdown between rivals, and it’ll be a quick burst of activity – think of a fast race carrying a heavy bag of coal.

Nathalie and Cami also asked: How long could you survive sharing a house with Legend?

Probably zero. No, I think maybe one day. We’ll see.

Gladiators returns on Saturday 17th January at 5:45pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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Authors

Huw FullertonCommissioning Editor

Huw Fullerton works as a Commissioning Editor at TopMob magazine, where he focuses on content related to entertainment, comedy, and niche dramatic productions.

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2026-01-16 10:51