Gladiators fans were left outraged after tuning into the BBC show’s final on Saturday evening.
Marie-Louise Nicholson and Finlay Anderson were crowned Gladiators champions in the grand final, after 11 weeks of gruelling challenges and fierce gladiators.
While Marie-Louise triumphed over Bronte Jones and Finlay beat fellow finalist Wesley Male, neither went home with a cash prize, much to the disappointment of fans.
The two champions each received a trophy for their efforts, however viewers were quick to remark on the ‘massive downgrade’ from the original 90s series.
In previous years 12 cars and prizes totalling more than £45,000 were won on the ITV version of the show.
Gladiators fans have been left OUTRAGED as they called out a ‘major downgrade’ from the 90s original show after the 2024 champions were crowned in Saturday’s final
Marie-Louise Nicholson and Finlay Anderson (pictured) were crowned Gladiators champions in the grand final, after 11 weeks of gruelling challenges and fierce gladiators
However Marie-Louise and Finlay went home none the richer, as fans took to Twitter to share their frustrations.
One joked: ‘Me sending out that search party for the prize money after smashing out a Gladiators win?! LIKE COME ONNNN. I’d even of taken a 1994 jeep over that trophy!!’
Others wrote: ‘THEY DON’T GET A PRIZE?! Major downgrade from the 90s’; ‘Didn’t they win a bigger prize than a trophy in the 90s or was that my imagination’; ‘So after all that there’s no actual prize?’
‘All that for a trophy? Where’s the car and cash prize?’; ‘They do all that for a trophy and no cash prize?? #Gladiators’; ‘Is there a cash prize for winning #Gladiators – it used to be £50k and a gas guzzling Jeep’.
‘Legendary final #Gladiators (where’s the prize money?)’; ‘Give the winner a prize for #gladiators series 2, please.’ ; ‘Surprised they didn’t win a prize on Gladiators even if it was for charity.’
Another even accused the BBC of being cheap as they fumed: ‘#gladiators Show us the money! How cheap can @bbc get?! The winners get no cash prize; no car; no holiday in the Bahamas?!!? That’s disgraceful seeing as this is one of the only successful new shows the BBC has. Put it right next time! ps. Jet!’
It was confirmed earlier this week that Gladiators will return for a second series, and fans begged there to be a prize next time round.
The rebooted show has been a ratings success story, with its debut episode attracting a whopping 6.4million viewers.
However, while Marie-Louise triumphed over Bronte Jones (L) and Finlay (R) beat fellow finalist Wesley Male, neither went home with a cash prize, much to the disappointment of fans
However Marie-Louise and Finlay went home none the richer, as fans took to Twitter to share their frustrations
The popular game show, which was originally broadcast on ITV from 1992 to 2000, will return to the BBC again, after BBC chief Tim Davie included the series in his list of ‘big priorities’ for the year in an address to the Royal Television Society on Monday.
He said: ‘Of course, it means that we will, despite budget pressures, prioritise big national occasions – from the Coronation, Eurovision, the Proms and Glastonbury, to the Olympics and the Euros, or Strictly or Gladiators, Children in Need or even that great drama: Election Night.’
Many had predicted a second series of Gladiators was on the cards after it eclipsed the viewing figures of other shows in January, including Dancing On Ice and The Masked Singer.
Speaking after her win, Marie-Louis told host Bradley Walsh: ‘Bronte was on my tail the whole time, what a competitor to go up against, she was so close to the end there. I think we’re both winners in my eyes.’
Meanwhile Army officer Finlay went head-to-head with wrestler Wesley in the final event but ran faster to the top of the travelator and burst through the paper to become champion.
‘This is definitely the most surreal moment ever from five-year-old me playing The Eliminator in my granny’s living room to lifting the real deal, this is unbelievable,’ the 34-year-old said.
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