Scarborough Gymnast Wins TV's Gladiators

Scarborough born gymnast Joe Fishburn won the 2025 series of Gladiators shown on BBC 1 on Saturday evening.

Over the past eleven weeks, they have been chased around the arena in giant metal balls, taken some fierce tackles in Powerball, been pushed over The Edge and raced up The Wall, but after a compelling Grand Final, Amanda Wah from Warrington and Joe Fishburn from Scarborough are basking in glory as they are crowned Gladiators Champions 2025.

Joe had a six second head start on youth worker Mus Dumbuya as they went into the Eliminator. Mus gave it his all but it was Joe who flew up the travellator to set a new Eliminator record of 0:55.

Joe told host Barney Walsh: 

“I have absolutely no words, I just want to say I couldn’t be happier to do this with someone like Mus, it means the world to me and Christine, this amazing woman brought me up from the age of 2 when unfortunately I lost my mum. I never had a father figure present and she’s done everything for me, I hope you’re proud.”

Amanda went into the Eliminator 1.5 seconds behind Aneila Afsar but quickly managed to catch her up on the rope climb and power her way to the top of the travellator completing the course in a record breaking time of 1:18 for the series.

Amanda dedicated the win to her late mum and on lifting the trophy she told host Bradley Walsh “That one’s for you mum. This has been the best experiences of my life, unbelievable”.

Speaking after his victory Joe had praise for fellow finalist Mus Dumbuya

"I don't quite have the words to describe it. This is definitely the best thing I've ever done. Winning this just means the absolute world. We were in an amazing final, and I felt like I already won coming into this process but obviously it's always nice to complete the whole thing and take the win. Mus is an amazing opponent, contender, friend, everything he does is so amazing and it was an honour to be in the final with him."

"Before I set off on the Eliminator, I have one thing on my mind and that’s to focus on what I’m doing and do the best run I can. Mus is an amazing contender, so I really had to put the work in, and going through that paper in the final has got to be one of the biggest highs. I’ve met some amazing people on Gladiators and made some friends for life and winning this just seals the deal. One of the best bits about the show was the journey I’ve been on. At the start, I thought that if I get the chance to be on the show, I’d be really lucky so just go and enjoy it and getting to the final, I had the same mindset to just enjoy it and put on the best show."

Joe said he had a lot of support in the arena

"So for the final we had my amazing grandma Christine, who looked after me since I was two. We had a few of the gymnasts from one of the clubs I work at and some of my extended family, cousins, godparents, my aunt and uncle, and Roddy Mackay who is an old contender from 1993 and one of the reasons why I applied for this show."

He also had praise for the Gladiators,

"The Gladiators are some of the most amazing athletes that I've met ever. They are some of the most friendly, amazing people behind the scenes and they genuinely want the best for you. They will go out there and match your intensity and give you a challenge which epitomises the whole show.

One that sticks in my head is someone I’ve been inspired by my whole life and that’s Legend, because of his other work. Coming up against him was a pinch me moment. I was like oh my gosh is this really him, he's so impressive as an athlete."

Joe had no hesitation when asked where he will be keeping his champions trophy

"That trophy is going in a very very special place, it's going on my grandmother Christine's mantelpiece."