They showed they had the will, the skill and heart to be winners as 34 year old Army Officer, Finlay Anderson from Edinburgh and 28 year old Dublin born Personal Trainer, Marie-Louise Nicholson were crowned Gladiators Champions in a compelling Grand Final on 大象传媒 One.
After eleven weeks of gruelling challenges, heart-pounding battles and breathtaking displays of athleticism and sheer determination, Finlay and Marie-Louise were literally pushed over The Edge (thanks to Legend and Diamond) but managed to muster all their strength to run to the top of the travelator and burst through the paper to become Gladiator Champions 2024.
Marie-Louise went into The Eliminator with a 2-second head start on Sheffield firefighter Bronte Jones with the 23 year old in pursuit but Marie-Louise emerged victorious.
On winning Gladiators, Marie-Louise told host Bradley Walsh: 鈥淏ronte 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鈥檙e both winners in my eyes.鈥�
Finlay and wrestler Wesley Male went head to head in The Eliminator, starting neck and neck but Finlay was able run to the top of the travelator to become Gladiators Champion.
Holding the trophy Finlay told host Barney Walsh: 鈥淭his is definitely the most surreal moment ever from 5 year old me playing The Eliminator in my granny鈥檚 living room to lifting the real deal, this is unbelievable, thanks guys what an experience.鈥�
Relive all the Gladiators action on 大象传媒 iPlayer
Find out how to apply for Gladiators series 2 here
MJ
Q&A with Finlay Anderson
How does it feel to be crowned the winner of Gladiators?
It feels unreal, surreal, amazing, an absolute childhood dream come true.
What was the best moment from the Final and the whole series?
From the Final it has got to be The Eliminator, it鈥檚 just the event that everyone knows. I executed it exactly how I wanted and you just can鈥檛 beat that feeling of going through that paper at the end.
What would you say was your most challenging moment?
Funny enough it was on The Edge itself. I injured my ribs quite badly on that event in the Quarter Finals so naturally I was cautious as I didn鈥檛 want to get hurt again. The thought of a big old Gladiator falling on my ribs again was pretty nerve wracking but I had to go ahead and do it.
Who was your Gladiator nemesis out of everyone?
Genuinely I don鈥檛 feel like I have a nemesis, I鈥檝e got so much respect for the Gladiators. They are all awesome athletes in their own right. It鈥檚 a real honour to have met with them and hung out with them backstage. If I had to pick one, my sport that I do most often is Crossfit so coming up against Steel in a number of events, knowing him as the UK鈥檚 no 1 Crossfitter, that was the one I really wanted to excel against.
Would you say you enjoyed going up against him?
I absolutely loved it! He鈥檚 a warrior gentleman, he鈥檚 fun to go against. When it鈥檚 game time he鈥檚 got his game face on and then straight after he鈥檚 a great sportsman. I think there鈥檚 a lot of mutual respect there, I really enjoyed competing against Steel.
Any words for your opponent, Wesley in the final?
What a guy! He came in the Quarter-Finals and he did beat me! I鈥檓 here by nature of being the fastest runner-up so I did not for a second underestimate him and he鈥檚 particularly good at the Gladiator facing games, he鈥檚 not afraid of anything. Massive respect for him getting into the Final.
Did you have friends and family in the audience supporting you?
Yeah I鈥檝e had different friends and family throughout. Being from Scotland it鈥檚 a big travel each time but this is my biggest crowd in the Final yet. I鈥檝e got my mum, dad, brothers, school friends, Army friends, their kids, its really brought a lot of people together which is the spirit of Gladiators in my opinion.
Final question, you have a brand new trophy, where鈥檚 it going?
It鈥檚 coming straight home with me, I will say it鈥檚 pretty heavy and I鈥檓 pretty sore so it wasn鈥檛 easy to lift but that鈥檚 going to be pride of place in the office or at home.
Q&A with Marie-Louise Nicholson
How does it feel to be crowned the winner of Gladiators?
Absolutely ecstatic!
What was your favourite moment from the series?
My favourite moment of the entire series was in the Semi-Finals when I was behind 10 9 seconds in The Eliminator thinking this is the end, lapping it up, smiling the whole way round. Next minute I make the biggest comeback of the year and I go ahead, win it and bring myself into the Final. That was my favourite moment, having the whole crowd behind me, supporting me, having my family coming over from Dublin, it was one of the best moments of my life.
How has the atmosphere been in the arena?
All the people of Sheffield and anyone whose travelled from far and beyond, the arena has been electric with different vibes each night. You鈥檇 have the first round, then the Quarters and the Semis every time it was different and when you have kids in the arena it was insane. Everyone was behind you, asking for your autograph, it was all a bit surreal to be honest.
Favourite game?
Favourite game has to be Powerball. I love a bit of agility and speed and being tackled by a Gladiator, having a bit of rough and tumble.
What game did you least look forward to?
Least favourite would be Duel. I鈥檓 quite petite and not as strong as some of the Gladiators and they had great stability and knock you straight on the head and that was one I never won on. Definitely my least favourite.
Did you have a particular nemesis or favourite Gladiator to come up against? Did you form any rivalries?
Me and Sabre had a bit of spice with each other. We loved each other backstage but when we were on the stage Sabre played the game so well, oh my god she played it well. She鈥檚 a sweetheart behind the scenes but when she鈥檚 in her act of Sabre the spicy queen she is vicious and I absolutely loved it. That鈥檚 what Gladiators is all about, getting into the act and going for it.
What does winning mean to you?
Winning means to me that things that you鈥檙e scared of in life, things you don鈥檛 want to go up against, if you throw yourself into it you鈥檒l either learn something if you lose or you鈥檒l gain something from it if you win. I always think that, even if you lose you鈥檒l gain something from it.
Where is the trophy going?
This old thing, might use it as my make-up mirror actually. This trophy is going to sit in my kitchen, I used to be a Private Chef so I love to be in kitchen, it鈥檚 my favourite thing in the world so I鈥檓 going to remind myself every day that I鈥檓 the champ.
What piece of advice would you give to any contestants who were thinking of applying to Gladiators?
Absolutely do it! Even if you don鈥檛 make it to the try-outs, apply again and apply again, it has been the best experience I鈥檝e ever had. The people I鈥檝e met along the way are the kind of people who are like you, they take risks, they are into fitness, you realise you are not the only one in the world like that whose this fitness freak. Just go and do it, because you never know what鈥檚 going to come of it.
You are now a champion, would you ever fancy becoming a Gladiator yourself.
I think that鈥檚 always been a dream since I was a young girl, swinging from the curtains trying to be Jet, its always been a dream to be a Gladiator and watching those Gladiators from this new season with so much sass, playing that role but also behind the doors they are normal human beings just like me, I could be that one day.
What would your Gladiator name be?
If I was a Gladiator I would be called Shamrock!