The star will remain in the audience and watch her new replacement compete in the final of the hit BBC show despite being devastated at having to pull out
Gladiators sensation Zavia Hill has been forced to quit the show. The contestant stormed to victory on Saturday night’s episode to secure a place in next weekend’s final.
But after filming finished, it emerged a leg injury she suffered during one of the games was so bad she can’t continue competing. Manchester-born lass Zavia is devastated she’s had to pull out of the contest.
She said: “I got very emotional after I realised I’d hurt my leg as bad as I did. When I got home and the adrenaline had worn off, I realised I could hardly move my leg.” Despite her disappointment, Zavia is still thrilled she got to be a contestant. She added: “It was transformative. I feel like a butterfly with newfound confidence. Reaching the final felt special.”
Bosses are bringing back fellow Manchester lass Aneila Afsar to take her place in the final and compete against Amanda Wah. We’ll see Zavia will be in the audience cheering her on.
In a message for Aneila, she said: “Have fun and do Manchester proud!”
Meet the finalists
These are the contestants who will be battling it out in the Gladiators final.
Aneila Afsar and Amanda Wah will be competing to be the female champion while Mus Dumbuya and Joe Fishburn will be competing to be the male champion.
We’ll see them tackle five games before racing for victory in The Eliminator.
Joe
How does it feel to get to the final?
I can’t quite put it into words. This whole experience has been incredible, I never thought I would have the chance of going for glory!
Which game have you found the toughest?
Duel. This is the one event which had me baffled! The Gladiators are so strong and the size difference really plays to their advantage here.
What has been your favourite game?
Powerball or maybe The Edge. With a rugby background alongside my gymnastics, I enjoy being in the contact games.
What has been your most memorable moment?
Beating Legend on The Wall, as I must say I am a huge Legend fan. Or maybe jumping over Steel and Legend in Powerball to score two points!
What would winning Gladiators mean to you?
It would mean the world to become champion for my Grandma Christine after everything she has done for me. And hopefully my late mum is watching the show from up there.
Mus
How does it feel to get to the final?
Unreal. I was influenced by Gladiators when I was a child so in some ways I feel like I’ve been preparing for this my entire life!
Which game have you found the toughest?
The Ring. This event was literally head to head, strength versus strength, against the man Steel, who is almost double my size. I felt like a frail primary school kid who was up against a secondary school senior.
What has been your favourite game?
It’s gotta be Hang Tough. I train with gymnastic rings daily, I even have them hanging on my staircase at home. I was up against the best, Legend, but I fancied my chances and had to relish the opportunity.
What has been your most memorable moment?
Hang Tough! During this event I felt an immense amount of pressure to walk away with 10 points.
What would winning Gladiators mean to you?
In my world, it’s the equivalent on winning an Olympic Gold medal. All the young people I work with are extremely proud and inspired so I feel like I’ve already won!
Amanda
How does it feel to get to the final?
This is a childhood dream come true… what a wild ride, and absolutely the best show to be a part of. Every single stage of the competition has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Which game have you found the toughest?
It’s no secret that I’m more built for power than speed – so Unleash was always going to be outside my comfort zone!
What has been your favourite game?
It’s a close call between The Edge and Powerball, but I think Powerball just wins it for me. I love a scrap, and I loved the opportunity to go full-force with the Gladiators and give it 100% of my strength and power.
What has been your most memorable moment?
Getting ultimate respect from Sabre after a 10 point win on The Edge in my quarterfinal felt incredible. I know the Gladiators are meant to hate the contenders winning, but it showed such genuine sportsmanship that she complimented my game.
What would winning Gladiators mean to you?
It would be incredible to have done it for everyone who supported me. It would also mean the world to me to show young girls and women – especially ones who might look a bit different to the norm – that they can be winners.
Aneila
How does it feel to get to the final?
Bittersweet for sure. Anyone who’s been following the show knows how badly I wanted to make it to the final, but this isn’t the way I wanted to get there. At the same time, I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity and so excited for what’s ahead.
What has been your favourite game?
Unleash has been my favourite event so far. It’s just so fast-paced and exciting, and I love running—so it’s right up my street.
What has been your most memorable moment?
Hang Tough in the heats was definitely a moment. Hanging on for over 30 seconds with Sabre’s full body weight on me was insane. I had no idea I had that kind of upper body strength, but the adrenaline just took over.
What would winning Gladiators mean to you?
It would be amazing. I’m a competitive person and a former pro athlete so I’m always in it to win it. But honestly, just getting here is huge. I’ve already broken so many barriers as the first Muslim woman on the show.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
