Gladiators: when is the Gladiators semi-final as BBC pulls episode in schedule shake-up

Gladiators fans have been left disappointed after it has been revealed that the semi-final has been pulled from the BBC schedule.

This week’s second semi-final has been delayed for one week due to the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Newcastle United on Saturday, March 16. Gladiators does not appear on the BBC's TV schedule, with instead the football filling the bill from 5.10pm to 7.40pm. The second semi-final is now expected to air on Saturday, March 23, which was supposed to be the date of the show's final. The prize for the strongest contender has yet to be revealed.

The popular series isn't the only show affected, with BBC and ITV soaps also being rescheduled to make room for the FA coverage.

The Gladiators reboot, which is hosted by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney Walsh has been a huge success, with an average of six million viewers tuning into the first episode. In the first seven days, it racked up a total of 8.7 million views, making it the biggest entertainment show for the BBC in seven years.

Speaking about the popular reboot, Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment at the BBC said: "The return of Gladiators has taken that nation by storm, with viewing figures showing that Saturday nights in are back on BBC One for all the family.

"The hugely popular presenting duo of Bradley and Barney, combined with the timeless excitement of seeing the Gladiators and contenders in action, means the series continues to captivate audiences across the UK."

When can you watch the Gladiators semi-final?

There will be two semi-final episodes for Gladiators with the first one going ahead as planned airing on BBC One this weekend on Saturday, March 9 from 5.50pm. The second semi-final which was due to air on March 16 has been postponed due to the FA Cup coverage and is now expected to air on March 23, meaning the finale could be pushed until March 30.

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.