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Ulrika Jonsson takes a swipe at ‘woke’ Gladiators reboot-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro
‘I don’t understand it.’
![Ulrika Jonsson takes a swipe at ‘woke’ Gladiators reboot-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SEI_141404030-99a1-e1685170683372.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
Gladiators legend Ulrika Jonsson is unhappy about one of the changes (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Gladiators legend Ulrika Jonsson has admitted she wasn’t too keen on one of the changes for the reboot.
The TV presenter, 56, fronted the original series, which ran from 1992 until 2000 on ITV.
After more than two decades, the popular competition is now returning on BBC, with the likes of Sabre, Comet, Steel and Fury following in the footsteps of Lightening, Jet and Hunter.
Father-son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh will be taking over from Ulrika, who blasted one ‘woke’ change.
During an appearance on Friday’s Lorraine, host Christine Lampard asked: ‘There’s one thing lacking this time around which I know you’re not happy about.’
Ulrika replied that while a preview for the new series ‘brought tears to my eyes’ as she reminisced on the music and ‘general feel’, there was one thing missing.
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Ulrika fronted the original series, alongside the likes of Shadow and Warrior (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
‘No cheerleaders!’ she explained.
‘I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand if it’s some kind of wokery.’
She went on: ‘The cheerleaders brought another level, and some depth to it.
‘They’re gorgeous and talented girls! We had such a lovely time with them.’
‘I don’t understand,’ she repeated.
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Gladiators, ready! (Picture: BBC / Nick Eagle / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd)
‘They were so great, it’s just a shame… I don’t know what the reasons are.’
Ulrika has elsewhere spoken about her time on the original Gladiators series, pointing out that it was ‘rock and roll’.
‘It was like they were on drugs,’ she said of some of the iconic stars, adding: ‘Well they were probably on different kids of drugs. But they were so excitable.’
She added to The Times: ‘There was a lot of bed-hopping. The producers put them all on one floor in the hotel, which made it easy.’
She went on to say that though the bosses for the reboot have ‘done a good job’, ‘there are so many things like that you just wouldn’t do now.’
Ulrika recalled feeling ‘uncomfortable’ in some of the outfits (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
‘It was a completely different time,’ she went on recalling how ‘uncomfortable’ she felt in ‘really slinky clothes’.
‘I remember standing there with my boobs up here thinking, this is horrible.
‘Nowadays you’d put your foot down straight away, but it wasn’t the climate.’
This comes after reports that Gladiators were axing ‘revealing outfits’ from the original series, with a source claiming last year: ‘These flimsy costumes were deemed acceptable when the show started but they’re probably a bit too revealing today.’
The insider continued to The Sun: ‘The new ones won’t be too stuffy as they’ll highlight the female stars’ incredible physiques.’
Gladiators returns to the BBC and iPlayer on Saturday, January 13, at 5.50pm.
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