Strictly star confirmed to be joining Gladiators as part of major cast shake-up

Tabby Stoecker is joining Gladiators for series 4 (Picture: PA)

As the BBC revival of Gladiators continues to undergo major changes, another new athlete is joining the cast.

This time, it’s Team GB skeleton athlete Tabby Stoecker, who is swapping the frozen skeleton track for the Gladiators arena.

Among her numerous accolades is a gold medal she won at the Winter Olympic Games earlier this year. She also has World Championship and European Championship medals under her belt, suggesting she’ll be a tough opponent to beat.

What’s more, Tabby, 25, is taking part in the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing, meaning she’ll probably be making the most of any sleep she can get towards the end of this year.

She’ll be part of the Gladiators cast for its fourth series, which will air on the BBC early next year.

Announcing the gig, she said: ‘I’m over the moon to be joining the Gladiators family for series 4.

The Strictly Come Dancing star has had a busy year on the BBC (Picture: Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA Wire)

‘It’s incredible to be part of such an iconic show, and I can’t wait for audiences to see what I bring to the arena.’

The London-born sports star added: ‘Being an Olympic champion and coming from a circus arts background has prepared me for this exciting new challenge, and I can’t wait to bring my positivity, athleticism, and competitive spirit to the show. Bring on the Contenders!’

Tabby’s Gladiator name will be revealed in due course, along with further details about the series.

She made her Strictly ballroom debut on Saturday when the launch show aired and this year’s celebrities were assigned their professional partners.

Tabby is dancing with a fellow newbie after five professionals joined the Strictly roster, replacing axed pros Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas.

Mark Karmalita, 23, from Canada, has won multiple championships of his own in his home country, meaning Tabby has every reason to trust that he can help her add another trophy to her cabinet.

Gladiators has undergone a huge cast shake-up (Picture: Nick Eagle/BBC/Hungry Bear)

The other new pros this season are Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, and Maddie Ingoldsby.

Who else is leaving and joining Gladiators?

The announcement of Tabby’s signing follows the news that three-time World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman had also joined the cast ahead of series 4 filming.

Aged 32 and from Invergordon, Scotland, his character name is Highlander.

He has replaced Giant (real name Jamie Bigg), who was sensationally dropped from the programme, he claims, over his romance with an OnlyFans model, which he wanted to make public. The two are no longer together, but Jamie remains out of the Gladiators squad.

With Tom declaring the job a ‘dream opportunity’, Jamie also spoke positively about him, despite him taking his place.

Jamie Bigg, who competed as Giant, was axed in a high-profile row over his romance with an OnlyFan model (Picture: BBC/Hungry Bear/Shutterstock/Getty) Comet (Ella Mae Rayner) hinted she, too, had been dropped (Picture: BBC/James Stack/Hungry Bear Media Ltd)

His predecessor told Metro: ‘Tom’s a fantastic person, and I know he’ll absolutely smash it on the show.

‘He’s got a heart of gold and will be a brilliant addition to the line-up. I wish him the very best of luck.’

Jamie isn’t the only person to have left Gladiators recently, as several other popular figures have left or been forced to sit the next series out.

Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) sustained a major knee injury requiring surgery, meaning she won’t feature in season 4.

Meanwhile, Bionic (Matty Campbell) is still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in a past quarter-final.

Going up against Contender Finn in Hang Tough, he was clearly in pain and had to be escorted away by medics after the event.

Other departures include Cyclone (Lystus Ebosele), who has stepped away from the show of her own accord, while Comet (Ella Mae Rayner) hinted at being axed.

Announcing her absence from the upcoming series, she replied to a fan page on social media: ‘Thank you for mentioning and acknowledging all my skills that were never aired.

Rugby star Joe Marler will be the very first celebrity Gladiator (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Paul Chappells)

‘And I am so sorry to all the fans and families who were not told about my absence this season. I will be there for the tour and I can’t wait to see you all.’

Finally, in a surprising addition, rugby player Joe Marler was announced in August to be the first celebrity Gladiator.

The 36-year-old, who took part in The Celebrity Traitors, will also feature in series 4 as Mauler.

When will Gladiators series 4 air?

The BBC has confirmed that series 4 filming took place in Sheffield over the summer, with Tabby as part of the ‘formidable line-up’.

Viewers will get to see all the action as Gladiators are challenged by Contenders in tests of speed, strength, and endurance when it returns to BBC and iPlayer in 2027.

An exact launch date has not yet been confirmed.

Comments Add as preferred source