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Anmer Hall, a 10-bedroom country house on Sandringham Estate, is a royal residence filled with history. Here’s what to know.

By all tabloid accounts, it’s the case of the missing princess. Ever since Kensington Palace announced that Catherine, Princess of Wales, underwent abdominal surgery in January, royal watchers (not to mention conspiracy theorists) have been speculating as to her whereabouts.

Press reports indicate that Princess Kate is recuperating at Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, England, the country residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.

We’re pushing aside the rumors, however, to do what we do best: talk about houses. Anmer Hall is a royal residence filled with history—and, of course, style. Let us begin, shall we? 

Where Is Anmer Hall?

Anmer Hall is in the quaint village of Anmer in Norfolk, a coastal county in northeastern England about a three-hour drive from London. The 10-bedroom Georgian pile, built in 1802, is part of Sandringham Estate, a sprawling 20,000-acre property dotted with churches, parishes, and country houses, that has been connected to the royals since 1862. The estate’s grand residence, Sandringham House, is the country bolthole of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, where royal Christmases are famously hosted. Anmer Hall is just a five-minute drive away.

Comic Relief//Getty Images

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children clap on the steps of Anmer Hall in a segment for the charity special Comic Relief in 2020.

While you can book tours of Sandringham House and even rent properties on the greater estate, Anmer Hall is a private family residence. The village of Anmer includes a church and quaint cottages, many of which were built in the early 20th century for Edward VII, according to an architectural guide to Norfolk by Nikolaus Pevsner and Bill Wilson. The U.K.’s National Office for Statistics states that Anmer parish had a population of about 250 in 2017.

What’s the History of Anmer Hall?

Anmer Hall was the seat of the Coldham family until Prince Albert Edward (aka the future Edward VII) purchased it in 1896 to be a part of the Sandringham Estate, Pevsner and Wilson note. The two-story house’s “charming” brick facade, made from red and brown brick, features 13 bays and dormer windows in the attic. The house underwent renovations in the years following Edward VII’s purchase.

Over the next century, the house was leased to numerous members of the British aristocracy, including the Duke and Duchess of Kent from 1972 to 1990, and Hugh van Cutsem, one of King Charles III’s best friends. Following the expiration of van Cutsem’s lease, the property was rented to timber company owner James Everett.

Leonard Burt//Getty Images
Anmer Hall, as pictured in the 1970s when it was the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

In 2013, two years after William and Kate’s marriage, it was rumored that the royal couple would be moving in. The pair had been renting a farmhouse in Anglesey, off the northwest coast of Wales, while Prince William worked as a helicopter pilot and while they were expecting their first child, Prince George. “[Anmer Hall] would seem to be an ideal choice in that it’s close to Grandma—but not too close,” former royal correspondent Michael Cole told the BBC. Later that year, it was confirmed that William and Kate would be moving into their new “baby bunker” with Prince George. But they wouldn’t physically move in until two years later, when Kate was expecting their second child, Princess Charlotte, to allow time for a $2 million refurbishment, which included a new roof, additional trees for privacy, and interior improvements.

Chris Radburn – PA Images//Getty Images
Anmer Hall undergoing renovations in May 2014.

In 2017—back in the halcyon days of the “fab four”—Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stayed with William and Kate at Anmer Hall, “because the sovereign still won’t permit unwed couples to sleep together under her roof Sandringham,” according to the book Notorious Royal Marriages by Leslie Carroll.

Today, the Prince and Princess of Wales spend most of their time at their two primary royal residences—one at Kensington Palace and the other at Adelaide Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle—but they use Anmer as a country escape. The family also spent the Covid lockdown at Anmer Hall.

How Are Anmer Hall’s Interiors Designed?

As part of the property’s improvements, the Prince and Princess of Wales tapped architect Charles Morris for the renovation and designer Ben Pentreath—the designer who overhauled Kate and William’s apartment at Kensington Palace, per House & Garden—for the interiors.

Pentreath’s firm describes its approach as one “that draws inspiration in equal measure from the great English practitioners of the 18th and 19th centuries, and from the 1960s and ’70s…but always infused with a fresh, modern sensibility”—and the same aesthetic can be seen in snippets of Anmer Hall that eagle-eyed viewers have spotted in the Prince and Princess of Wales’s social media feeds. The home—with its high ceilings and decorative moldings—is painted in soothing, neutral colors (though the dining room is reportedly a deep green hue) and accessorized with houseplants, antiques, and gilt-framed art.

Kate took some heat from the British press for her overhaul of Anmer Hall’s kitchen while also adding a second one at her Kensington Palace digs, garnering her the epithet “Three Kitchens Kate.”

In a moment of deep sorrow, King Charles has addressed the nation with a heartbreaking message that has left the royal family and the public in shock. The monarch, visibly distressed, delivered the news during a televised address, confirming the loss of a beloved member of the royal household.

“We deeply regret to announce that one of our own has passed,” King Charles began, his voice heavy with emotion. While he did not immediately name the individual, the gravity of the announcement was clear, leaving everyone to await further details about the identity of the family member who had passed away.

As the royal family comes to terms with the loss, sources close to the palace suggest that this is a devastating blow for King Charles and the entire family. The grief-stricken monarch, who has faced numerous challenges during his reign, now finds himself mourning the loss of someone deeply dear to him.

The royal household has not released further details about the circumstances of the death, but it is expected that more information will be provided in the coming hours. The news has sent shockwaves through the world, with many expressing their condolences to the royal family.

“The royal family has always been seen as a symbol of strength and unity, but this is a moment of deep vulnerability for them,” said a royal expert. “The passing of a family member, especially someone close to the heart of King Charles, is a personal tragedy that will have a profound impact on the entire family.”

Public reaction has been one of overwhelming support, with fans and admirers of the royal family sending messages of sympathy and compassion. Many are already speculating on which member of the royal family has passed, with some wondering if this might be the loss of a well-known elder relative or someone who had been quietly involved in the royal circle.

As the royal family navigates this period of mourning, the world watches with heavy hearts. The tragic loss is likely to lead to a period of reflection and unity within the family as they come together to grieve and honor the life of the departed loved one.

King Charles, who has always carried the weight of the monarchy with dignity, is expected to address the public again in the coming days, providing further details about the loss and offering words of comfort to the people of Britain and the Commonwealth.

Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford left This Morning host Alison Hammond stunned on Monday with a new look during the ITV chat show crossover

Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford debuted a new look on Monday’s show, leaving her ITV co-stars stunned.

During Monday’s episode of This Morning, hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary went over to the Loose Women studio to see what was coming up.

After sharing the day’s line-up, which included former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, Alison, 49, was quick to mention: “I love your hair as well, I feel like you’ve taken a leaf out of my book today!” as she complimented Ruth’s seemingly longer and wavy locks, which was similar to her own hairdo.

To which a flattered Ruth, 64, replied: “Well, Alison, I did see you this morning and thought: ‘I need a bit of that, I need a bit of Alison in my life!’” It comes as Ruth recently revealed she was left struggling with her smart television last month.

Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford debuted a new look on Monday’s show, leaving her ITV co-stars stunned

As the panel reflected nostalgically on Ceefax’s would-be 50th anniversary, they turned to the topic of modern televisions and their own experiences with smart technology.

This discussion led Ruth to share her own frustrations as she revealed: “Mine actually went off, horror, went to turn on to watch Strictly and it said: ‘You are currently not connected to something box.’”

She recounted the hassle of having to call her son Jack, 22, for help, saying: “I ended up having to phone Jack, who was out and not best pleased as you can imagine – had to get him to talk me through to go up to the other box by our loft.

“Turn it on and off, wait five minutes, wait for green light, I was like: ‘Good Lord! Can’t I just have this!’” she added, holding up a traditional TV remote to her fellow co-stars and the live audience.

Ruth and Eamonn, who tied the knot in 2010, announced their split earlier this year ( 
Image:
Mike Marsland/WireImage)
It comes as Ruth has kept a graceful silence since the news broke that she and GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes, her partner since 1996, were going their separate ways.

Ruth and Eamonn, who tied the knot in 2010 and share son Jack, 22, were thought to have one of the safest marriages in showbiz, and the couple stunned fans when they confirmed they would be divorcing back in May.

While Ruth has chosen not to publicly discuss the breakdown of her marriage, Eamonn has been open about his feelings during their separation. At the TRIC Awards in June, he expressed his heartache to The Mirror, saying: “I’m not okay. This is not a good time at all,” and added, “It’s too early to say, but I hope we can still be friends.”

This Morning was pulled off air on Wednesday as it finished at the earlier time of 12:15pm with host Dermot O’Leary announcing the news

This Morning was pulled off air on Wednesday as it finished at the earlier time of 12:15pm.

During the latest instalment, instead of finishing at 12:30pm, the show finished at 12:15pm as host Dermot O’Leary announced the news. He said: “That’s it from us, finishing a little bit earlier today for an ITV news special.”

It comes as when Loose Women came to a close on Tuesday, Ruth Langsford made a show announcement. The ITV star confirmed Loose Women would be pulled off the air, and an episode will not be shown on Wednesday 30 October.

The programme usually airs between Monday and Friday at 12.30pm and concludes at 1.30pm. However, on Wednesday, the show will be replaced by the ITV News special.

This Morning was pulled off air on Wednesday as it finished at the earlier time of 12:15pm ( 
Image:
ITV)

“I’ve got to stop you there,” Ruth said to her guests. “We are running out of time massively. Thank you so much. That is it for today; we are not here tomorrow. It is the Budget, how lovely.” She added: “But we will be back with you on Thursday at 12.30pm with Strictly’s Johannes and Montell.”

Viewers can tune in to watch The Chancellors Budget 2024, which will begin at 12.15pm and end at 1.50pm. Loose Women will be back on Thursday at its usual time of 12.30pm while This Morning will finish at its usual time on Thursday of 12:30pm.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver Labour’s first Budget for 14 years on Wednesday. She has warned that it will involve “difficult decisions.”

It will outline the government’s plans for raising or lowering taxes. It also includes major decisions about spending on health, schools, police, and other public services.

It comes as when Loose Women came to a close on Tuesday, Ruth Langsford made a show announcement ( 
Image:
ITV)
The current leader of the opposition, Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak, will give a speech responding to the Budget as soon as Reeves has finished.

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s episode of This Morning saw hosts Dermot and Alison Hammond interview a collection of stars including Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks, actress Anna Maxwell Martin and The Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle for a cooking segment.

Taking to Twitter, now X, viewers were quick to react to This Morning finishing earlier as one person said: “Wait where did #thismorning go… The budget doesn’t need to be on every channel”, as a different account put: “#ThisMorning ending 15 minutes early because of the Chancellor Budget” while another added: “#ThisMorning bye” with a waving emoji.

This Morning continues on weekdays at 10am on both ITV and ITV X while Loose Women follows at 12:30pm.

Loose Women’s Kaye Adams deserted her fellow panel members during an emotional conversation as Nadia Sawalha talked her husband, Mark Adderley, celebrating 20 years of being sober

Kaye Adams walked out on the Loose Women panel during a poignant chat.

The host had been joined on the ITV show by fellow members Olivia Attwood, Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch on Thursday, October 31. The foursome had been chatting about Nadia’s husband, Mark Adderley, celebrating 20 years of being sober when she fled her seat.

Nadia was chatting about how her marriage had once nearly broken down, explaining to the panel, had it not have been for their daughter Kiki, she would have left her husband years ago – she didn’t and they are now marking two decades of him being sober.

In the studio, you could have heard a pin drop as everyone listened intently to Nadia’s heartfelt journey and family battle with alcoholism, when Kaye began to “struggle” live on-air.

Not wanting to interrupt, she crept off set as Nadia looked up and said: “Are you alright? Do you want some water?” Before adding: “She’s got a tickle.”

Kaye Adams flees Loose Women
Nadia later commented to audience members that Kaye was “choked up” after she hadn’t returned for some time

Being TV professionals and knowing that the show must go on despite the odd interruption, Nadia, Olivia and Denise carried on without Kaye steering the conversation as she normally would.

In the background though and as they attempted to move forward, the audience and viewers could only hear the sound of Kaye having some kind of “coughing fit” away from the cameras.

Kaye Adams was noticeably missing from Loose Women
The trio tried their best to fill in the void in the absence of Kaye after she stepped away for more than a few minutes to compose herself. As Nadia was wrapping up, there was a resounding roar of applause from the audience.

Kaye had fortunately bounced back and was ready to take to her hosting duties once more and waving to concerned fans to reassure that she was now doing ok.

Kaye was applauded as she made a return to the setMeanwhile, elsewhere in the show, talk turned to cheating and if it was ok for women to cheat and not men. The panel all seemed to agree that there were some “double standards” when it came to ladies not being faithful.

Leading the chat, former Love Island star Olivia Attwood owned up to having differing views of her girlfriends and that “they could do no wrong in her eyes” but was fully aware if a man did the same it would be a totally different conversation.

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1, from 12:30pm.

Loose Women star Denise Welch has always been open and honest when it comes to her past affairs – having met her current husband Lincoln Townley while she married

Denise Welch is not shy when it comes to owning her past “infidelities” and she did just that on Loose Women.

Speaking to the panel that included Kaye Adams, Olivia Attwood and Nadia Sawalha on Thursday (October 31), Denise admitted “it was no secret” that she’d been unfaithful in the past and that she’d paid her dues with her affairs being played out in the media over the years.

The conversation got flowing on the topical ITV programme as Kaye Adams asked her fellow co-stars if they believed there was a misconception when it came to women cheating. She pondered over whether it was looked at differently for females.

Love Island star Olivia Attwood, famed for her open and honest opinions, was not shy with coming forward and spilling some home truths on the situation. She admitted that her girlfriends “could do no wrong” in her eyes.

However, did go on to say that she and her friends knew that there were discrepancies when it came to men acting in the very same way as them. Olivia even stated her friends would “laugh about it” often, knowing full well that if a male partner did the same, it would be frowned upon.

Denise owned up to “infidelities” on-air
Stepping into the spotlight to discuss the same subject, Denise had to nod in agreement with Olivia’s comments. She wondered if it was perceived that there would be more of a “valid reason” leading ladies to cheat as opposed to men.

It was during this moment that Denise aired: “I do agree that there are double standards, however when I admitted to my own infidelities I was treated like the wicked witch of the west, certainly by the media and probably quite rightly so.”

Denise and Lincoln have been married since 2013 ( 
Image:
Loose Women’s Denise Welch/Instagram)
She had been referring to when she met her current husband Lincoln Townley, although she was careful not to mention any significant details after being called out by her ex-husband on X – formerly Twitter.

A few years back Denise had been chatting to her co-star about “going behind the bike shed” for casual sex when she touched on her former marriage with actor Tim Healey. He and Denise were married between 1988 and 2012, together sharing two sons – Matt and Louis.

Denise talks cheating on Loose WomenIn a tweet that was swiftly deleted, Tim furiously wrote: “Just watched yesterday’s Loose Women. Denise in her day was talking about how it was ok to have casual sex behind the bike shed even though married.”

He went on to vow: “Day after day year on year she discussed our private life. Long suffering Tim Healy I am no more xx.” Speaking about her marriage to Tim on the show and the subject of “emotional cheating” she confessed: “My husband and I both agree we held on far too long and we were making each other miserable and thankfully we’ve now got a great friendship.

“I genuinely used to think that being unfaithful wasn’t the worst thing you could do in a relationship. There were infidelities on both sides… which you girls know about.”

The One Show’s Alex Jones was forced to briefly leave the studio on Friday

The One Show’s much-loved presenter Alex Jones was thrown into a spoiler panic on Friday’s episode, as the show geared up to discuss The Traitors’ latest explosive antics.

The gripping BBC reality game has taken viewers by storm, and with the grand finale set to air tonight, January 24th, The One Show couldn’t help but delve into everything The Traitors.

This included Thursday’s episode, where Freddie was banished and revealed as a Traitor while fellow Traitor Charlotte was selected by Frankie as part of her Seer power.

However, before chat could get underway, Alex, 47, was quick to halt the show as she admitted she still hadn’t watched Thursday’s episode and briefly left the studio so she wouldn’t hear any spoilers.

The One Show’s Alex Jones was forced to briefly leave the studio on Friday to avoid any spoilers ( 
Image:
BBC)

Alex said: “Now, be warned, if you haven’t watched last night’s episode, like me, go and get yourself a glass of wine… come back in around two minutes.”

To which she covered her ears and left the set to which co-host Roman Kemp said: “Go, go, go! Are you gone? Are you gone? Play it!”

Returning post-spoiler segment, Alex reappeared shielded behind a script. A tap from Roman had her asking: “Is it done?”, before she joyously proclaimed: “I can’t wait for tonight’s episode, I’m so excited we’ve got a platter of sushi, I know, we never have sushi!”, reports Wales Online.

Tensions are high as fans brace for tonight’s final, especially after Thursday’s gripping installment saw freshly recruited Traitors Freddie and Charlotte ‘murder’ Leanne, who fortunately survived thanks to her trusty Shield.

However, this was all part of Charlotte’s cunning plan to get Freddie ousted as Leanne had confided in her about possessing a Shield, something Freddie was oblivious to.

Returning post-spoiler segment, Alex reappeared shielded behind a script ( 
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BBC)
By choosing Leanne to be ‘murdered’, the contestant knew it had to be either Freddie or Alexander, who is actually a Faithful, as Traitors as they were the only two unaware of her Shield.

Adding fuel to the fire, during the day’s challenge, the contestants fiercely competed for the Seer power, which bestows one player with the privilege of uncovering the ‘true’ identity of one of their peers.

Later in the episode, Freddie was banished with five votes, where he unveiled that he was indeed a Traitor. On the other hand, Frankie was the fortunate player to secure the Seer power and selected Traitor Charlotte to disclose her real position in the game.

The episode concluded on a massive cliffhanger and viewers will have to eagerly wait until Friday night to discover if Charlotte’s ‘true’ colours are revealed and who will emerge victorious in the show.

Michelle Dewberry has shared an emotional statement on social media as she lamented the ‘anger and negativity in the world’ after a difficult week filled with ‘horrific events’

GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry has opened up about feeling “exhausted and emotionally drained” in a poignant social media post.

The 45-year-old broadcaster expressed her concerns about the “anger and negativity in the world” and its impact on her mental wellbeing. Taking to X/Twitter, Michelle wrote: “Exhausted today. Emotionally drained. So much anger and negativity in the world. It’s not good for the soul.”

However, she also revealed that she had an idea that had given her renewed hope and excitement. Michelle hinted that she was working on a new project to bring some positivity into the world. Her followers responded with messages of support and encouragement.

One commenter shared Michelle’s feelings, saying: “Same feeling here (and dealing with very recent pet loss). I feel *completely* empty. If you have an idea to bring some light back into our world, I’m all ears.”, reports the Express. Others echoed Michelle’s concerns about the state of the world, with one saying: “The majority of us feel exactly the same as you @MichelleDewbs totally dejected!”

Michelle shared an emotional post with her followers ( 
Image:
PA)

Michelle’s post also sparked a conversation about the importance of focusing on the good in the world. One commenter said: “Yes, we need positivity. Yesterday really made me feel that there is an inherent evil in this world and it appears to be getting stronger. There is also so much good and we need to focus on that too, or the future looks very dystopian.”

Michelle, who won The Apprentice in 2006 and joined GB News in 2021, has been open about her mental health struggles in the past. Her followers were quick to offer their support, with one asking: “Hi Michelle, do you get offered someone to talk to in your job when dealing with these types of horrific events?” She’s weathered a significant overhaul at the channel, which saw several prominent figures lose their jobs.

Mark Dolan and Isabel Webster were let go, while former Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg had his weekly appearances reduced from four days to two. Ben Leo has stepped in for Mark’s weekend slot, and Ellie Costello has taken over Isabel’s role on the Breakfast show. When announcing the changes last month, the channel stated that the new presenting team “will allow us to build on success with a renewed focus and ambition”.

GB News’s Head of Programming and Talent, Ben Briscoe, remarked: “2024 has been a truly fantastic year for us. Not only are we regularly beating the other established news channels, but we are also making inroads against the big public service broadcaster terrestrial channels. Our initiatives will allow us to build on this success with a renewed focus and ambition.”

Mark Dolan said last month that he will “name and shame” other broadcasters who changes their opinion. He claimed he was sacked with no warning. Discussing his departure from the channel, he said: “Let me tell you that leaving GB News was not my choice. I was fired. It took minutes. But let me tell you, they did it nicely.”

Gladiators star Montell Douglas, who is also known as Fire, has revealed that her Strictly Come Dancing professional partner Johannes Radebe secretly contributed to the BBC show

Gladiators star Montell Douglas has revealed that Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe played a huge role in changing the show’s opening credits after the pair took on the dance competition together last year.

Montell, 38, is back as Fire on Gladiators for its upcoming second series, with members of the public taking on the show’s formidable athletes in a series of physical challenges. After a hugely successful debut last year, Montell revealed in an exclusive chat with The Mirror that Johannes decided to give her Fire move in the opening credits a complete revamp.

Speaking about her signature action, Montell said: “Mine’s been levelled up now. Jojo has changed it. It’s not even the same. He was like, ‘You can’t do this.’ But it’s not dancing, it’s sport. He’s like, ‘Your hand shouldn’t be over there, your leg should be here.’ He is a nightmare.

Montell Douglas is returning for the second series of Gladiators ( 
Image:
BBC / Graeme Hunter / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd)
“But we have choreographers, which is great. It was inspired by us, so we started off with what felt natural to us and then finessed to make it a bit more succinct.”

She added that while fans won’t get to see the upgraded move in the coming series of Gladiators as it was filmed last year, they should look out for it in series three.

“Series three it’s going to be different, the toes will definitely be pointed. They weren’t pointed before.”

Montell also revealed that she would love to see Johannes on a celebrity version of Gladiators. “I think it would be hilarious because I’ve seen him run, mainly towards me, and it’s just the funniest thing,” she smiled. “He would love it because he wants to wear Lycra. He’s like, ‘Spandex, Gladiators around me, why wouldn’t I want to do this?’”

Montell Douglas dancing with Johannes Radebe on Strictly Come Dancing last year ( 
Image:
PA)
BBC’s reboot of Gladiators proved to be a huge hit from the broadcaster last year, with millions of viewers tuning into the hit show. However, Montell revealed that she was nearly hit by a car when she and co-star Legend were mobbed by fans.

“It is actually annoying going out in public with Legend,” she said. “I nearly got run over the other day, legit story. Someone was talking to Legend and I was telling him to hurry up, then I was nearly run over.”

Despite the occasional danger, Montell said that the show’s popularity has been “special” for the cast. “It’s nice to have that impact because the show did so well,” she says. “Almost all of us are new in TV so we didn’t really know what to expect and how people would respond, especially when it’s so nostalgic and iconic.

“People were ready to shoot it down before it came out, but it’s been so overwhelmingly positive, it’s pretty wild.”

A contestant named Joe drew gasps and giggles when he answered Gladiators host Bradley Walsh’s innocent question with a very suggestive answer during heat two of the contest

Bradley Walsh was left scrambling to retain control on Gladiators as a contestant made a very cheeky comment.

The hit BBC revival is back for a second season – with a batch of new contenders taking to the stadium for the second heat. A number of hopefuls went up against athletic Gladiators such as Athena, Dynamite and Giant in the hope of making it through to the next round and the chance to win the official show trophy.

On Saturday night, a contestant named Joe took to the ring to begin his attempt in the latest round of challenges – and show host Bradley, 64, was on hand to introduce him to the audience. But there was gasps and burst of laughter when Joe was asked a simple question that provoked a suggestive answer.

With a hand around the contender, Bradley said: “Joe, welcome. Welcome. We’ve got some fans in, Joe.” The then cameras cut to the audience – with many shown wearing t-shirts and holding boards containing messages of encouragement to Joe and some even sporting fake beards to mirror his natural bushy facial hair.

A Gladiators contender named Joe caused Bradley Walsh sweat with a provocative comment ( 
Image:
BBC)

Looking at his supporters, Joe confirmed: “Yeah, that’s my lot over there.” Bradley then remarked: “And they’ve got their false beards.” But Joe replied: “Yeah, not quite like this one, though.”

Agreeing, Bradley said: “That’s a corker, that.” He then pressed on, saying: “Now, listen. If you were a Gladiator, then, what would your name be?” It was a question Bradley may have come to regret as Joe cheekily replied: “My brother gave me an idea. He said I’d be called The Penetrator.” As the audience burst into laughter, Bradley did what he could to restore decorum, telling the contender to “Watch it.”

Ahead of the current season, Bradley and his 27-year-old son Barney Walsh, who co-hosts the show, revealed the challenges had been made more difficult for the new batch of contestants. Bradley revealed to the BBC: “The new series is just fantastic, the Gladiators mean business and they are back tougher than before.

Bradley hadn’t anticipated the X-rated joke ( 
Image:
BBC)
“There are some new events this series including the return of a fan favourite, and throughout the series lots of other exciting surprises. The contenders now have helmet cameras fitted, you might have seen from the celebrity special, so you can literally see what they are faced with when going up against the Gladiators. It’s a great new feature and brings a whole new dimension to what you see.”

While Barney added: “One of the new games is called Unleash. The contenders start in a smoke filled tunnel and race around a track and up some steps to grab the winning flag, but an unknown Gladiator is unleashed behind them trying to chase them down. You’re going to love it.”

He added: “I think the public have really connected with the Gladiators because they have strong identities, all with slightly different strengths and disciplines and all with distinctive moves – so everyone can have a different favourite. All the Gladiators are incredible athletes, they are inspiring and super competitive but respect the contenders and bring great sportsmanship… well, apart from Legend and Viper.”