Bradley Walsh: "If I were to host Strictly, it would absolutely ruin my weekend"

This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.

Gladiators presenters – and father and son duo – Bradley and Barney Walsh talk to Radio Times about what they've been watching, bringing families together and whether there's any truth to those rumours that Bradley could be in line for a certain Strictly Come Dancing job.

What’s the view from your sofa?

Bradley: There’s a plain wall with a telly fixed to it, with lamps on either side. Seriously, it’s very traditional.

Barney: When I’m in Cardiff filming Casualty, the TV’s on a free-standing unit, there’s an Ikea fake plant in the corner, and a little painting on the wall.

What have you enjoyed watching on TV recently?

Bradley: Barney’s my oracle. Originally he said we had to watch Breaking Bad, then he said we had to watch Better Call Saul, and now we’re watching Vince Gilligan’s new series…

Barney: ... Pluribus. There’s also a comedy series I love called The Studio starring Seth Rogen, which is in my top five series of all time. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Gladiators is such a huge show, especially for family viewing. What did you watch together as a family?

Barney: When I was a kid there was nothing I loved more than sitting with Mum and Dad watching the telly. Over the years that way of watching TV has been eroded by social media, streaming, and on-demand TV. But when we’re in the arena, we see young kids cheering for their Gladiators heroes, so we know they’re at home watching with their family, which is lovely.

Bradley: When I worked in pantomime we always used to say we had to make the show feel special, because it was the kids’ first introduction to theatre. That’s been transposed onto Gladiators, which is, to me, a massive panto and ostensibly a kids’ show. When kids from the audience meet the Gladiators, they have an extraordinary look of wonder on their faces. We’re very proud and privileged to be part of the magic.

How important is watercooler TV that brings families together?

Bradley: I had my first job in television in 1986 so, for me, it’s key to maintain terrestrial television and to maintain family viewing. We are losing it and it is diminishing. There’s no question about that, but that’s evolution. I see great event telly – like Strictly, I’m a Celebrity and Gladiators – as still part of the game. When you look on any other platform, there’s not much event telly there.

You mention Strictly. There’s a hosting vacancy there, of course – would you two be interested?

Bradley: Here’s a potted version of my winter weekends. I come home from the studio on a Friday, have dinner and watch I’m a Celebrity. On Saturday, I’ll watch the football results, have dinner and a pint, watch Strictly, then I’m a Celebrity, and flip back to the BBC for Match of the Day. On Sunday I get up late, watch some Columbo, then the football, followed by the Strictly results, then I’m a Celebrity, and then Match of the Day. If I was to host Strictly, it would absolutely ruin my weekend.

Barney: That is completely true. That’s Dad’s weekend, every weekend.

What is it really like working so closely together?

Bradley: We are work colleagues, but we’re also family and, more importantly, mates. We were approached to host Gladiators on the back of Breaking Dad. They wanted a family dynamic to front the show because Gladiators was going to be a family show.

Do you watch each other’s shows?

Bradley: I wouldn’t imagine Barney watches The Chase, simply because of his filming schedule. I haven’t seen The Chase in years because I don’t finish in the studio until five o’clock. But I’m an avid fan of Casualty and have loved the series for years. I like how the team has recently made it more cinematic.

Barney: We finish filming around 7pm, so it’s rare I’m home in time for The Chase, but when I’ve got time off and it’s on, I do watch. I love it.

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

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