MTN Gladiators

Last updated

MTN Gladiators
Genre Sports entertainment game show
Starring Glenn Hicks
Ursula Staplefeldt
James Lennox
Cyril Mitchley
Wayne "The Boss" Price
Ingrid Chantler
Marion Hind
Country of originSouth Africa
No. of series5 x Domestic series
1 x International Gladiators
2 x Springbok Challenge
Production
Producers Keith Shaw (1999–2000)
Donovan Marsh (2001)
Production locations Standard Bank Arena, Johannesburg (1999–2000)
Big Top Arena, Carnival City (2001)
Running time60 minutes
Original release
Network SABC3
Release1999 (1999) 
2001 (2001)

MTN Gladiators was a game show produced by MTN for SABC3 in South Africa from 1999 to 2001. Following South Africa's initial participation in the second International Gladiators and the first Springbok Challenge [1] tournaments in Birmingham, England, the format developed a cult following in South Africa. In 1998 production finally began for a domestic series, eventually airing in 1999.

Contents

A special second Springbok Challenge series, known simply as Gladiators: Springbok Challenge 2 , against a team of British Gladiators and contenders was filmed in South Africa in 2000. [2]

Format

The show pitted contestants in a variety of physical events against the 'Gladiators', who would attempt to prevent them from achieving maximum points on a variety of games. After this, the two contenders would race each other on the Eliminator, an assault course containing climbing, balancing, and cargo nets. The contender with the most points received a half second head start for every 1 point they were in front by.

Production

All the MTN Gladiators tapings took place at the Standard Bank Arena, Johannesburg (1999–2000) and Big Top Arena, Carnival City (2001) in South Africa.

Presenters and crew

The show was originally presented by Glenn Hicks, executive producer of the first four series, and Ursula Staplefeldt. Following Glenn's departure from the show in 2000, he was replaced by James Lennox when it was resurrected for its penultimate fifth series in 2001.

The referees were legendary South African cricketer Cyril Mitchley (1999–2000) and international strongman Wayne "The Boss" Price (2001). The timekeepers over the show's run were Ingrid Chantler (1999–2000), and female Gladiator ICE in 2001, who was unable to compete due to pregnancy. The Gladiators and crowds alike were cheered on by a group of cheerleaders, known as G-Force.

Gladiators

AliasGladiators careerReal name
Aqua/IvorySpringbok Challenge (Ivory)
Series 4
Marieka Theunissen
BladeSeries 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Clint Walters
DiamondSpringbok Challenge
Series 5
Bernadette Beyer
Fire [3] Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Magdalena Wysoczanska
Force [4] Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Joanne Rossi
FoxSpringbok Challenge 2 (UK)
Series 5 (SA)
Tammy Baker
GazelleSpringbok Challenge Lara De Klerk
GiantSeries 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Matthew Haldenby
GoldSeries 1
Series 2
Sherry Rissik
GraniteSeries 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Garth Collins
IceSeries 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Marion Hind
ImpiInternational Gladiators 2 Bible Mhizha
JackalSpringbok Challenge 1
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Dave Ridley
JazzSeries 5 Bontle Litheko
LightningSeries 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Rene Roberts Patel
LynxSeries 5 Mariska Nel
NightshadeSeries 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Nelly Mokohoana
Quartz [5] Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Michelle Sievwright
Rhino Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Themba John
Sahara [6] International Gladiators 2
Springbok Challenge
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Christy Skoglund
SamsonInternational Gladiators 2 Bob Dahmen
ShadowSeries 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Desiré Thomas
ShakaSpringbok Challenge
Series 4
Warren Simango
SheenaSpringbok Challenge (SA) Tina Andrew
Spider [7] Springbok Challenge
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Sergio Capellino
ThunderSeries 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Jade Russell
TuskSpringbok Challenge
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Shannon Gaskin
VenusSeries 5 Alex Dorrestein
Warrior [8] Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Franco Kawaza
WildebeestSpringbok Challenge
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Springbok Challenge 2
Series 5
Andries Coetzee

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