Tragedies of the original Gladiators cast – injuries, death and prison sentence

Gladiators has punched its way back onto our television screens more than twenty years since it was last on TV.

Filled with strength, power and a bit of cockiness, the premise would see contestants go up against some of Britain’s strongest athletes. Taking them on in a series of challenges, the contestants would need to last as long as possible in order to be declared the winners.

But as the show grew into the huge success it was on ITV, so too did some of its cast members. But sadly, not everyone’s story was filled with happy endings once the show ended, with stories of terrible injuries and death reported.

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So, as the show continues its revival, Daily Star looks at some of the tragedies that have befallen the original cast of the show.

Warrior – Michael Ahearne

Michael Ahearne took on the scandalous role of Warrior on the ITV show, brimming with power and strength from his lean muscles. The show catapulted him to fame, with the star reaching as much as £100k a year for the pleasure of taking on some of the country’s challengers.

But in 1998, the TV star was sent to prison for 15 months for his role in a plot that involved drug barons and the obstruction of justice. One year prior, Michael became embroiled in the plot to stop the prosecution of an ex-international cocaine drug lord, Curtis ‘Cocky’ Warren.

After being let out after only six months thanks to good behaviour, Ahearne kept his head down and continued on his grind once he got out of prison. However, in 2018, he would fall foul of the law once again after he was found in possession of CS spray.

He appeared in court again on three counts of possession of a weapon “designed or adapted for the discharge of a noxious liquid”. He was sentenced to six months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court in October 2018, which would be suspended for 12 months.

Jet – Diane Youdale

Jet set all the pulses racing when she appeared on the original run of the TV show back in the 1990s. Having dated fellow co-star James Crossley – better known as Hunter – Jet was on top form during her time on the programme, and soon became a household name for her flawless figure.

However, sadly Jet’s time on the show would come to a rather abrupt end after she sustained a nasty injury to her neck that left her struggling to recover. During one of the challenges, Youdale fell from the pyramid, doing herself more and more injuries.

Speaking later about the decision to leave the show after four seasons, Diane said it was the right thing to do: “I was beginning to see more spinal injuries. You can damage your ankle or your knee and it will recover, but breaking your neck – that’s a different story.

“After my accident, I decided to quit while I could,” she later explained. “I decided it wasn’t worth it any more; I wanted to leave while I could still walk out of the studio.”

Cobra – Michael Wilson

Appearing on TV can have its many benefits, including fame and recognition. But for Michael Wilson – better known as Cobra – his time on the show was best known for his gradual slide into alcoholism.

Despite appearing in peak physical form during his eight series on the show, behind the scenes, it was a much different story as Wilson relished the party lifestyle and developed a dependence on booze. Recalling his time on the show, Wilson admitted that there were times when he would struggle to chase contestants up the iconic 32-foot-high wall because he was drinking so much.

Chatting with the Mirror in 2019, Cobra confessed: “I was mucking about pranking, I had so much fun; it was brilliant I was with a lot of mates with similar interests, we were all similar age, it was fun. There were end-of-show parties, when we had international Gladiators come over, we would be up all night boozing.”

But things soon took a turn in 2019 when he fell gravely ill with pneumonia – having to be taken to hospital for treatment, something that he would later blame the ITV show for. Speaking to The Sun at the time, he said: “I’m only half a Gladiator now. It’s been touch and go.” He would later make a full recovery.

Falcon – Bernadette Hunt

Tragically for Falcon, who was played by Bernadette Hunt, her struggles would come once filming ended. During her time on the show, Hunt earned the reputation as the power-hungry one – and went on to achieve iconic status when she went Stateside for the American version of the show until 1999.

Following the show’s end, Falcon carried on with her fitness journey, all while continuing to work in the fitness industry. She ran her own business in being a personal trainer in Basingstoke, and was swamped with clients looking to seek her advice.

However, in 2023, Bernadette tragically passed away at the tender age of 59 following a cancer diagnosis. Once news of her death went public, several of her co-stars paid tribute to her as her legacy lives on to this day.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk