The iconic sports entertainment show Gladiators has once again proved its legendary status, following a hugely successful return to Utilita Arena Sheffield for the filming of Series 3, including an all-new Celebrity Special.

The Gladiators TV production began its epic journey in June, with an 18-day transformation turning Utilita Arena Sheffield into a colossal TV set fit for the return of a classic. This was followed by seven days of intense training for both Contenders and Gladiators, and four days of rehearsals to prepare for the spectacle ahead.

Across 11 thrilling days of filming, the Arena hosted 12 action-packed shows, welcoming over 40,000 fans through its doors.

Utilita Arena Sheffield, the proud home of Gladiators, proved to be the perfect stage for the show’s return. Fans didn’t hold back in showing their support, with almost 12,000 foam fingers sold across four colours (red leading the charge with 3,932!), over 3,000 youth t-shirts snapped up, and 4,667 official programmes flying off the shelves, the production was a colossal success from every angle.

Series 3 brought with it even bigger battles, new events, and a celebrity showdown that saw fitness coach Joe Wicks MBE, broadcaster Sam Thompson, Olympic Boxing Champion Nicola Adams OBE, and presenter Vogue Williams step up to the Gladiator gauntlet. And of course, the arena roared as fan favourites like Apollo, Sabre, Electro, and Giant returned to face a new wave of daring contenders.

Following the success of Series 2, which pulled in 5.3 million viewers and became the most-watched Saturday night series on BBC iPlayer, it was no surprise the BBC chose to return to Sheffield, once again cementing its place as the spiritual home of Gladiators.

Further information about Gladiators: Celebrity Special including broadcast details will be announced in due course. Viewers can add Gladiators to their Watchlist on BBC iPlayer now.