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BBC tipped to have axed third Gladiator from line-up ahead of new episodes
Lystus Ebosele joined the cast in 2025.
BBC/Hungry Bear/Shutterstock/Getty
- Katelyn Mensah
Published: Thursday, 30 July 2026 at 2:43 pm
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Gladiators has reportedly axed Cyclone from its line-up ahead of the new season launching next year.
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The Sun reports that Cyclone, real name Lystus Ebosele, will not be returning to the arena for the new run.
Ebosele joined Gladiators in season 2 back in January 2025.
"Cyclone won’t be back," a source told the publication.
Gladiators declined to comment when approached by Radio Times.
Cyclone. BBC/Hungry Bear Media Ltd/David MacCormack
This report comes after it was confirmed that Giant, real name Jamie Bigg, would not be returning to Gladiators.
Posting a carousel of images on Instagram back in April, Bigg wrote: "To my Gladiator family. I want to tell you all that I won’t be coming back for season 4 of the TV show. Being a Gladiator has been one of the greatest honours of my life.
"Stepping into that arena, hearing the crowd, representing strength, resilience and being a role model… that’s something I’ll carry with me forever.
"What I do want to make clear is this wasn’t a decision I made to step away. I was faced with a choice that didn’t align with my values. And if you know me, you know this… I stand by my people and I stand by what I believe in. That’s what being a role model means to me.
"I’m proud of everything I gave to the show and grateful for every single person who supported me along the way. This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning. Stay strong. Stand tall."
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Gladiators was renewed for a fourth season earlier this year, with the series continuing to be popular among audiences.
The most recent season drew in an impressive 4.6 million viewers on average across 28 days on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, and it continues to be a massive hit with younger viewers.
Kalpna Patel‑Knight, head of entertainment at the BBC, said at the time: "Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights.
"With a brand‑new series confirmed and another Celebrity Special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again."
Gladiators will return in 2027. Previous episodes of Gladiators are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
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