Gladiators Australian Series 3
Encyclopedia
The third series of Australian Gladiators
began airing on Channel 7
on 4 May 1995, the week after the last episode from series 2 aired.
Twenty four episodes were filmed at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre
in December 1995 including three three-part specials. A further three episodes were filmed in Birmingham in the summer of 1996 as part of a second Ashes series. An episode filmed in the UK featuring Australian challengers was also shown.
The series was once again presented by Kimberley Joseph
and Mike Hammond with Mike Whitney
as referee and the Kix cheerleaders performed in the background of the events.
Chris Grove replaced Tony Schibeci as commentator and John Forsyth
was replaced by Neil as assistant referee. Forsyth would act as the Australian referee in the second Ashes series.
The third series suffered a slight decline in viewing figures and due to an increase in costs, production on the fourth series was halted. A new series would not air until 2008
.
Cougar (Ashley Buck) was dropped following allegations of indecent behaviour with underage fans, for which he was later cleared. Tornado was brought in to replace him.
Predator suffered an injury in Heat 4 and was sidelined for the rest of the series.
Condor, Taipan, Tower and Vulcan went to Birmingham to film the second Ashes series in 1996.
Rebel (Barbara Kendall) had quit midway through series two and was replaced by series two champion and International Gladiators 2
runner up Lourene Bevaart as Glacier.
Blade would suffer an injury on Hang Tough which was so severe it could not be televised and was sidelined for the remainder of the series. Cheeta would also be sidelined due to injury. Due to this, reserve Gladiator Electra was brought in though she never appeared in the starting credits or any publicity material. The official Australian Gladiators magazine makes no reference to her. She was married to John Forsythe, who was assistant referee in series one and two and Director of training.
Delta, Fury, Glacier and Storm went to Birmingham in 1996 to film the second Ashes series.
Comet and Lynx along with Dynamite, Goliath, Titan and Viking were the Russian Gladiators who took part in the Australia Vs Russia series. Comet did not appear until the second episode and thus Lynx performed all four events in the first episode.
All fourteen Gladiators from the UK 1995 series appeared in the International Challenge of Champions series.
, Gauntlet
, Hang Tough
, Hit & Run
, Powerball
, Pursuit
, Pyramid
, Swingshot
, Suspension Bridge
, Wall
and Whiplash
all returned. The Eliminator
featured as the final event in every show.
Tilt
had been axed midway through series two and did not appear in this series. Two new events were introduced, Skytrack
and Joust
, the latter of which was the apparatus for the UK event after it had been axed over there.
A further four shows were filmed in Birmingham
in the UK, three as part of a second Ashes series and the International Challenge of Champions (filmed in 1995) both which were aired as part of series three.
Winning challengers are in bold.
1This was the first appearance of reserve Gladiator Electra.
2This was the last appearance of Cheeta.
3Catherine Arlove was injured after Hang Tough and was unable to compete in the Eliminator and thus Marrisa won the series by default.
4Replaced Sarah after she was injured.
5Replaced Hannah after she was injured.
6This was an episode filmed in the UK featuring the winners of International Gladiators 1, The first Ashes series, and the Australian series 1 champions. Only UK Gladiators featured in this show. As the injured Andrew Halliday was the winner of both the Ashes and first Australian series, he was replaced by David Wallis and Shane Saltmarsh respectively. Bernie Withers and Shane Saltmarsh were the runners up.
7This was a special episode made due to fan interest in the Gladiators themselves. The show was to air on 6 April 1996 but was pulled due to the election that occurred in Australia the week before. The episode was planned to air at a later date after series three.
.
The Gladiators were given their specialist training schedules in October and took a break from promotional activities in November whilst the production crew started work on the new events.
Filming bgean in December and continued though into the new year. Seating in the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was increased to 8,000 and the arena itself had some subtle changes with darker lighting and an increased use of spotlights similar to the UK arena at the National Indoor Arena
. The Arena floor was also changed to a black floor with lights, just like the UK.
A fourth series went into pre production. Pendulum
, a UK event seen in the International series was to be introduced and there were events being developed that would be unique to the Australian series.
However due to injuries, rising production costs and a slight decline in viewing figures, Channel 7
opted not to go ahead with a fourth series and after being on television for an almost constant eighteen months, Gladiators was over until its revival in 2008
.
A team of Gladiators and challengers travelled to Birmingham to film a second Ashes series in the summer of 1996 after the show had been cancelled.
Gladiators (Australian TV series)
Gladiators is an Australian television series which aired on Saturday nights on the Seven Network from 1995 until 1996 almost consecutively for eighteen months. It was based on the American version of the same name...
began airing on Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
on 4 May 1995, the week after the last episode from series 2 aired.
Twenty four episodes were filmed at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Brisbane Entertainment Centre
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is a centre, located in Boondall, a Brisbane City suburb, in Queensland, Australia.The arena has an assortment of seating plans, which facilitate the comfort of its users, subject to performance. Specific seating plans usually are allocated, depending on the...
in December 1995 including three three-part specials. A further three episodes were filmed in Birmingham in the summer of 1996 as part of a second Ashes series. An episode filmed in the UK featuring Australian challengers was also shown.
The series was once again presented by Kimberley Joseph
Kimberley Joseph
Kimberley Joseph is a Canadian-Australian actress who is based in the United States. Joseph was born in Canada, raised on the Gold Coast in Australia, and educated in Switzerland. After returning to Australia, she began a degree at Bond University but dropped out at the age of 19 when she was cast...
and Mike Hammond with Mike Whitney
Mike Whitney
Michael Roy Whitney is an Australian television personality and former cricketer, who played in 12 Tests and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993....
as referee and the Kix cheerleaders performed in the background of the events.
Chris Grove replaced Tony Schibeci as commentator and John Forsyth
John Forsyth
John Forsyth may refer to:* John Forsyth , American politician* John Forsyth, Jr. , American newspaper editor and son of the namesake politician* John Forsyth , Australian major general...
was replaced by Neil as assistant referee. Forsyth would act as the Australian referee in the second Ashes series.
The third series suffered a slight decline in viewing figures and due to an increase in costs, production on the fourth series was halted. A new series would not air until 2008
Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series)
Gladiators was an Australian television series which aired on the Seven Network in 2008. It was a revival of the earlier series of the same name, and was based on the American version of the show, which was also revived in 2008....
.
Male
- Commando - Geoff Barker
- Condor - Alistair Gibb
- Hammer - Mark McGawMark McGawMark McGaw is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He achieved national and state representative honours in the sport and following his retirement became one of the Gladiators in the Australian version of the TV show...
- Predator - Tony Forrow
- Taipan - Michael Melksham
- Tornado - Tony Latina
- Tower - Ron Reeve
- Vulcan - John SeruJohn SeruJohn Seru is an actor and former professional wrestler. He is best known as "Vulcan" in the Australian version of TV series Gladiators, as well as joining the British Gladiators team in Seasons 7 and 8. He is also known for his part in the James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, where he plays...
Cougar (Ashley Buck) was dropped following allegations of indecent behaviour with underage fans, for which he was later cleared. Tornado was brought in to replace him.
Predator suffered an injury in Heat 4 and was sidelined for the rest of the series.
Condor, Taipan, Tower and Vulcan went to Birmingham to film the second Ashes series in 1996.
Female
- Blade - Bev Carter
- Cheeta - Nicky Davico
- Delta - Karen Alley
- Electra - Roz Forsyth
- Flame - Lynda Byrnes
- Fury - Julie Saunders
- Glacier - Lourene Bevaart
- Storm - Charlene Machin
Rebel (Barbara Kendall) had quit midway through series two and was replaced by series two champion and International Gladiators 2
International Gladiators 2
International Gladiators 2 was filmed in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham during 1995 and was broadcast on ITV in 1996, the second series of Gladiators using the International moniker...
runner up Lourene Bevaart as Glacier.
Blade would suffer an injury on Hang Tough which was so severe it could not be televised and was sidelined for the remainder of the series. Cheeta would also be sidelined due to injury. Due to this, reserve Gladiator Electra was brought in though she never appeared in the starting credits or any publicity material. The official Australian Gladiators magazine makes no reference to her. She was married to John Forsythe, who was assistant referee in series one and two and Director of training.
Delta, Fury, Glacier and Storm went to Birmingham in 1996 to film the second Ashes series.
Others
Laser, Lightning, Rio and Vogue along with Ace, Hunter, Rhino, Saracen and Wolf were the UK Gladiators who took part in the Ashes series. Falcon was a reserve and appeared in the opening credits but never appeared during the series.Comet and Lynx along with Dynamite, Goliath, Titan and Viking were the Russian Gladiators who took part in the Australia Vs Russia series. Comet did not appear until the second episode and thus Lynx performed all four events in the first episode.
All fourteen Gladiators from the UK 1995 series appeared in the International Challenge of Champions series.
Events
Atlasphere, DuelDuel (Gladiators)
Duel is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in battle on raised podiums using pugil sticks. The object is to knock your opponent off....
, Gauntlet
Gauntlet (Gladiators)
Gauntlet is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender must run through a narrow alleyway defended by five Gladiators.-Rules:...
, Hang Tough
Hang Tough
Hang Tough is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in what is often described as 'a game of aerial chess' on a grid of rings hanging from the ceiling.-Rules:...
, Hit & Run
Hit & Run (Gladiators)
Hit & Run is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender must run across the Suspension Bridge as many times as possible, avoiding the four demolition balls being swung by Gladiators on platforms adjacent to the bridge.-Rules:One contender...
, Powerball
Powerball (Gladiators)
Powerball is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, two contenders simultaneously face three Gladiators on a field with the contenders trying to score by putting balls into scoring baskets whilst the Gladiators try to prevent this.-Rules:The...
, Pursuit
Pursuit (Gladiators)
Pursuit was an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, the contenders race against each other over an obstacle course whilst being pursued by Gladiators.-Rules:...
, Pyramid
Pyramid (Gladiators)
Pyramid is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event played on a giant sponge Pyramid, two contenders must climb to the top whilst two Gladiators attempt to halt their progress.-Rules:...
, Swingshot
Swingshot
Swingshot is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, two Gladiators and two contenders are attached to bungee cords and must jump off a raised platform, bouncing up to a central pole with scoring balls....
, Suspension Bridge
Suspension Bridge (Gladiators)
Suspension Bridge is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in battle on a simple suspension bridge. The object for the contender is to reach the Gladiator's platform....
, Wall
The Wall (Gladiators)
The Wall is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, contenders race against each other up a climbing wall with Gladiators pursuing them.-Rules:...
and Whiplash
Whiplash (Gladiators)
Whiplash is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator stand within a circle, each holding the end of a 'dogbone'...
all returned. The Eliminator
Eliminator (Gladiators)
The Eliminator is an event played in the television series Gladiators. This is the final event of the show in which the shows contenders race against each other over an assault course, ending with the Travelator, with the first to finish becoming the winner of the show moving on to the next round...
featured as the final event in every show.
Tilt
Tilt (Gladiators)
Tilt is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in a tug of war on tilting platforms. Due to their weight advantage, the Gladiator is located on the higher of the two tilt platforms.-Rules:One Gladiator faces one...
had been axed midway through series two and did not appear in this series. Two new events were introduced, Skytrack
Skytrack
Skytrack is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, contenders and Gladiators race on an inverted figure of eight course suspended from the ceiling...
and Joust
Joust (Gladiators)
Joust was an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in battle on mechanical skybikes...
, the latter of which was the apparatus for the UK event after it had been axed over there.
Shows
As per usual, fifteen shows were filmed in a progressive competition. An additional nine episodes were filmed for three special mini series; a Team Sports special, an Army Vs Navy series and an Australia Vs Russia series.A further four shows were filmed in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the UK, three as part of a second Ashes series and the International Challenge of Champions (filmed in 1995) both which were aired as part of series three.
Winning challengers are in bold.
| Episode | Contest | Original airdate | Challengers (Female) | Challengers (Male) | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Heat 1 | 5 May 1996 | Joanne Vs Alison | Shane Velenecchi Vs Wayne | Hang Tough, Duel, Powerball, Atlaspheres |
| 02 | Heat 2 | 11 May 1996 | Liz Vs Marissa Heuttner | Paul Stubbs Vs Sam | Skytrak, Pyramid, Hang Tough, Suspension Bridge |
| 03 | Heat 3 | 18 May 1996 | Leanne Martin Vs Mary | Cameron Vs Paul Reynolds | Wall, Gauntlet, Whiplash, Swingshot |
| 04 | Heat 4 | 25 May 1996 | Nikki Thompson Vs Kylie | Jamie Vs Phil Burgess | Powerball, Duel, Skytrak, Hang Tough |
| 05 | Heat 5 | 1 June 1996 | Astrid Vs Catherine Arlove | Josh Vs Kerry | Joust, Powerball1, Hit & Run, Pursuit |
| 06 | Heat 6 | 8 June 1996 | Jacqui Vs Christine | Jeff Prewett Vs Gavin | Gauntlet, Swingshot, Suspension Bridge, Wall |
| 07 | Heat 7 | 15 June 1996 | Kate Vs Debbie | Daniel Vs James | Pyramid, Pursuit, Gauntlet, Hang Tough |
| 08 | Heat 8 | 22 June 1996 | Sandra Hansen Vs Lynne | Keith Hansen Vs Peter | Duel, Atlaspheres, Pyramid2, Whiplash |
| 09 | Quarter Final 1 | 29 June 1996 | Leanne Martin Vs Debbie | Josh Vs Paul Reynolds | Powerball, Duel, Skytrak, Gauntlet |
| 10 | Quarter Final 2 | 6 July 1996 | Marissa Heuttner Vs Christine | Paul Stubbs Vs Peter. | Pyramid, Hang Tough, Suspension Bridge, Atlaspheres |
| 11 | Quarter Final 3 | 13 July 1996 | Joanne Vs Catherine Arlove | Phil Burgess Vs Jeff Prewett | Duel, Skytrak, Hit & Run, Wall |
| 12 | Quarter Final 4 | 20 July 1996 | Nikki Thompson Vs Sandra Hansen | Shane Velenecchi Vs James | Pyramid, Swingshot, Joust, Hang Tough |
| 13 | Semi Final 1 | 27 July 1996 | Sandra Hansen Vs Catherine Arlove | Shane Velennechi Vs Paul Stubbs | Wall, Gauntlt, Skytrak, Suspension Bridge |
| 14 | Semi Final 2 | 3 August 1996 | Marissa Heutner Vs Debbie | Jeff Prewett Vs Paul Reynolds | Swingshot, Duel, Pyramid, Gauntlet |
| 15 | Final | 10 August 1996 | Catherine Arlove3 Vs Marissa Heuttner | Paul Reynolds Vs Paul Stubbs | Gauntlet, Pursuit, Pyramid, Hang Tough |
| 16 | Team Sports 1 | 17 August 1996 | Natalie Shapiro & Leigh (Softball) Vs Kristen & Julie Towers (Hockey) | Johnny Platten & Richard Champion (AFL) Vs Matthew Hayden & Jimmy Marele (Cricket) | Pyramid, Skytrak, Hit & Run, Duel |
| 17 | Team Sports 2 | 24 August 1996 | Debbie Watson & Naomi Castle (Water Polo) Vs Sharon Finnan & Keely (Netball) | Graeme Mackay & Jason Croaker (Rugby League) Vs Brett & Michael (Rugby Union) | Gauntlet, Swingshot, Atlaspheres, Hang Tough |
| 18 | Team Sports Final | 31 August 1996 | Natalie Shapiro & Leigh (Softball) Vs Debbie Watson & Naomi Castle (Water Polo) | Johnny Platten & Richard Champion (AFL) Vs Jason Croaker & Graeme Mackay (Rugby League) | Wall, Pyramid, Hang Tough, Suspension Bridge |
| 19 | Ashes 1 | Marissa Heuttner (AUS) Vs Sarah Damm (UK)/Michelle Kimberley (UK)4 | Paul Reynolds (AUS) Vs Emmil Watson (UK) | Pendulum, Powerball, Swingshot, Duel, Hang Tough | |
| 20 | Ashes 2 | Hannah Owen (UK)/Celia Duffield (UK)5 Vs Catherine Arlove (AUS) | Paul Stubbs (AUS) Vs Mark Everitt (UK) | Skytrak, Powerball, Gauntlet, Hang Tough, Duel | |
| 21 | Ashes Final | Marissa Heuttner (AUS) Vs Catherine Arlove (AUS) | Paul Reynolds (AUS) Vs Mark Everitt (UK) | Pendulum, The Wall, Swingshot, Duel, Hang Tough | |
| 22 | Army Vs Navy 1 | Sandra Hansen & Suzie Llewellyn (Navy) Vs Sandra-Lee Walker & Michelle Perrone (Army) | Peter Gatti & Keith Lewis (Navy) Vs Gavin Davis & Ritchie Gibson (Army) | Duel, Skytrak, Gauntlet, Wall | |
| 23 | Army Vs Navy 2 | Jacinta Peel & Candice Cushway (Army) Vs Donna & Tess (Navy) | Dwayne & Rick "Wombat" Morse (Army) Vs Tim O'Brien & John Iles (Navy) | Pyramid, Whiplash, Swingshot, Suspension Bridge | |
| 24 | Army Vs Navy Final | Sandra-Lee Walker & Michelle Perrone (Army A) Vs Candice Cushway & Jacinta Peel (Army B) | Gavin Davis & Ritchie Gibson (Army) Vs Tim O'Brien & John Iles (Navy) | Joust, Skytrack, Pyramid, Hang Tough | |
| 25 | Australia Vs Russia 1 | Kathy McMorrow & Charity Crosby (AUS) Vs Elena & Larissa Toutchinskaya (RUS) | Shane Saltmarsh & Joe Lukowski (AUS) Vs Vladimir & Yuri (RUS) | Gauntlet, Hit & Run, Atlaspheres, Wall | |
| 26 | Australia Vs Russia 2 | Karen Trent & Suzanne (AUS) Vs Elena & Larissa Toutchinskaya (RUS) | Wayne & Dimitri (Aus) Vs Vladimir & Yuri (RUS) | Whiplash, Duel, Pursuit, Swingshot | |
| 27 | Australia Vs Russia Final | Kathy McMorrow & Charity Crosby (AUS) Vs Elena & Larissa Toutchinskaya (RUS) | Shane Saltmarsh & Joe Lukowski (AUS) Vs Vladimir & Yuri (RUS) | Pyramid, Hang Tough, Suspension Bridge, Powerball | |
| 28 | International Challenge of Champions6 | Eunice Huthart (UK) Vs Kerryn Sampey (UK) Vs Bernie Withers (AUS) | Wesley Berry (US) Vs David Wallis (AUS) Vs Shane Saltmarsh (AUS) | Atlaspheres, Pendulum, Hit & Run, Duel, Pyramid | |
| 29 | Heart of a Gladiator7 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
1This was the first appearance of reserve Gladiator Electra.
2This was the last appearance of Cheeta.
3Catherine Arlove was injured after Hang Tough and was unable to compete in the Eliminator and thus Marrisa won the series by default.
4Replaced Sarah after she was injured.
5Replaced Hannah after she was injured.
6This was an episode filmed in the UK featuring the winners of International Gladiators 1, The first Ashes series, and the Australian series 1 champions. Only UK Gladiators featured in this show. As the injured Andrew Halliday was the winner of both the Ashes and first Australian series, he was replaced by David Wallis and Shane Saltmarsh respectively. Bernie Withers and Shane Saltmarsh were the runners up.
7This was a special episode made due to fan interest in the Gladiators themselves. The show was to air on 6 April 1996 but was pulled due to the election that occurred in Australia the week before. The episode was planned to air at a later date after series three.
Production
Production began in October 1995 following the success of series two. Recording dates were pencilled in for 11–22 December at the Brisbane Entertainment CentreBrisbane Entertainment Centre
The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is a centre, located in Boondall, a Brisbane City suburb, in Queensland, Australia.The arena has an assortment of seating plans, which facilitate the comfort of its users, subject to performance. Specific seating plans usually are allocated, depending on the...
.
The Gladiators were given their specialist training schedules in October and took a break from promotional activities in November whilst the production crew started work on the new events.
Filming bgean in December and continued though into the new year. Seating in the Brisbane Entertainment Centre was increased to 8,000 and the arena itself had some subtle changes with darker lighting and an increased use of spotlights similar to the UK arena at the National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
. The Arena floor was also changed to a black floor with lights, just like the UK.
A fourth series went into pre production. Pendulum
Pendulum (Gladiators)
Pendulum is an event played in several incarnations of the television series Gladiators. In this event, a contender and Gladiator engage in a cat and mouse game on a giant hanging ball, covered in a cargo net which swings across the arena floor...
, a UK event seen in the International series was to be introduced and there were events being developed that would be unique to the Australian series.
However due to injuries, rising production costs and a slight decline in viewing figures, Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
opted not to go ahead with a fourth series and after being on television for an almost constant eighteen months, Gladiators was over until its revival in 2008
Gladiators (2008 Australian TV series)
Gladiators was an Australian television series which aired on the Seven Network in 2008. It was a revival of the earlier series of the same name, and was based on the American version of the show, which was also revived in 2008....
.
A team of Gladiators and challengers travelled to Birmingham to film a second Ashes series in the summer of 1996 after the show had been cancelled.