Overview
- Joe Marler was confirmed on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, as Gladiators' first-ever Celebrity Gladiator and will perform under the stage name Mauler, a reveal shared by the show's official Instagram video.
- The BBC says Marler will bring his physicality and larger-than-life humour to special in-arena appearances that sit alongside the regular team of Gladiators.
- Season 4 is filming in Sheffield and is scheduled to air on BBC One and iPlayer in 2027, while a one-off celebrity special featuring AJ Odudu, Chris Ramsey, George Clarke and Sara Pascoe is planned for later in 2026.
- Marler has transitioned from a high-profile England rugby career into television, with recent credits including Celebrity Traitors, Soccer Aid 2026, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel and Blankety Blank, which gives him cross-platform appeal for the show.
- The casting continues a producer strategy of using well-known personalities and short-form social media teasers to keep the revived Saturday-night franchise visible and draw new viewers to full-season broadcasts.