BBC axes third Gladiator in huge switch-up as furious Cyclone 'cuts all ties' with show

BBC axes third Gladiator in huge switch-up as furious Cyclone 'cuts all ties' with show Gladiators star Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, has featured on the BBC show since January 2025 but is now said to have been axed along with two others Another one bites the dust... Cyclone has become the third professional to be axed from BBC show Gladiators. The TV star, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, joined Bradley and Barney Walsh's BBC revival of the 1990s classic last year, and has so far filmed two series. But just as production got underway at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield for the next series of the reboot, Lystus, 25, is said to have been cut from the line-up and is not impressed with bosses. A source told The Sun: "Cyclone won’t be back and she’s not happy about it. She’s now cut all ties with the show – it’s a pity as fans absolutely loved her.” The powerlifting champion has also unfollowed the official Instagram account for the programme and deleted all pictures of herself on the show. News of Lystus' exit comes just days after it was reported that Matty Campbell, who stars as Bionic, and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, better know to fans as Athena, had also been axed from the show, having missed out on a considerable amount of the last series after both suffering injuries. A source said: "They won’t film this year for the show but could be back for the tour, depending on how they recover from their injuries." Earlier this year, Giant, 40, whose real name is Jamie Bigg, departed Gladiators amid much controversy when he went public with then-girlfriend Taylor Ryan, 28, and it emerged that she worked as a model on OnlyFans. Execs were quick to air their disapproval, and the athlete said that he was "shocked and disappointed" by the move, which he directly linked to his partner's racy work. It was then reported that body builder and fitness instructor Ahmad Rabus, 37, would act as his replacement, and it became apparent that he would be one of several new faces on the show. Team GB medallist Tabby Stoecker, along with fitness influencer Florence Wong and World’s Strongest Man champion Tom Stoltman are reportedly in the lineup, whilst The Sun also reported that former England rugby star Joe Marler would be making an appearance. The new series will introduce a soon to be revealed event, as well as the other well known challenges such as Duel, Hang Tough and the Eliminator. Popular additions from the previous series — Everest, Destruction and Suspension Bridge — are also set to return after receiving a strong response from viewers. Produced by Hungry Bear Media in partnership with MGM Alternative UK, part of Amazon MGM Studios, Gladiators remains one of the BBC's flagship entertainment programmes. The most recent series, which came to an end in March, attracted an average audience of 4.6 million viewers across BBC One and BBC iPlayer over a 28-day period, while continuing to perform particularly strongly among younger audiences. Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC's Head of Entertainment, said: "Since Gladiators burst back onto screens in 2024, it’s been amazing to see families across the UK rally behind the contenders and champion our phenomenal Gladiators as the true stars of Saturday nights. "With a brand‑new series confirmed and another celebrity special on the way, audiences can look forward to even more colossal clashes, even more edge of your seat excitement and plenty of opportunities to raise those foam fingers high once again." The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .