Celebrities to face Gladiators in special programme

The celebrity contestants will face the Gladiators in a one-off special

TV presenter Joel Dommett, actor and comedian Ellie Taylor, comedian Rob Beckett and broadcaster Louise Minchin are to face the Gladiators in a celebrity special.

The four well-known faces will have their speed, strength and endurance tested when they take on the Gladiators in a series of challenges.

They will then compete against each other in the gruelling obstacle course, the Eliminator.

In Gladiators, four contenders take on 16 "superhumans" made up of Olympians, bodybuilders and weightlifting champions.

The first series of the relaunched show came to an end in March this year with Army officer Finlay and personal trainer Marie-Louise crowned the champions.

Are you excited for a celebrity Gladiators special? Let us know in the comments below...

Rob Beckett, who is best known for being a comedian and TV presenter, said: "I can't wait to be absolutely crushed by the Gladiators in front of my wife and children in Spandex.

"This is going to be a catastrophic humiliation in front of the nation. I've got no idea why I agreed to this. Is it too late to pull out?"

Ellie Taylor, who stars in the Sonic spin-off series Knuckles, will be hoping her experience on Strictly Come Dancing might help.

"We all love the show in my house and I'm so excited to take part," she said.

Rob Beckett, Louise Michin, Joel Dommett and Ellie Taylor are all going to face the Gladiators

Masked Singer host Joel Dommett joked he had been preparing for the famous travellator at the end of the Eliminator course saying: "I've been illegally running up escalators backwards all my life in preparation and now it's happening for real."

Former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin said she is "so excited" to be on the show after watching it for years and thinking it looked like "terrifying fun".

She could be the most prepared of the four after taking up endurance sport in 2012 and competing internationally for the GB triathlon team in her age group.

The one-hour special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.