The BBC has finally put to rest rumours about Bradley and Barney Walsh’s future on Gladiators.

The broadcaster confirmed that the father-son duo will be back

to host the second series of the hit reality show. Earlier this week,

when news broke about the show’s renewal, it wasn’t clear if

Bradley and Barney would be returning. But now, a spokesperson from the BBC has confirmed the pair will indeed be back for the next season.

The reboot introduced 16 new Gladiators who took part in classic events like Duel and the Eliminator, as well as new ones such as The Edge. The current team includes Gladiators Sabre, Legend, Nitro, Diamond, Phantom, Athena, Bionic, Fire, Giant, Dynamite, Viper, Electro, Apollo, Comet, Steel and Fury.

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Bradley and Barney will indeed be back for the next season (Image:

BBC / James Stack / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd)

This latest update, reported by OK!, comes as BBC’s head of entertainment Kalpna Patel-Knight expressed her delight about season two, saying: “Gladiators has really kicked this year off with a bang, and we’re so delighted that the fans have come to the show in their masses. It has been wonderful to hear how much families have loved watching this together, as part of the BBC’s Saturday evening entertainment offering. We can’t wait for more action from the Gladiators.”

Equally thrilled about the renewal was Dan Baldwin from Hungry Bear Media. He raved: “It’s no exaggeration to say that the response to Gladiators has been phenomenal. The episodes have been packed with nail-biting drama, thrilling action and huge emotion. Series two will see the show go from strength-to-strength. We have some amazing surprises in store for the fans. Are you ready?”

When Gladiators made its comeback in January, it attracted six million viewers, which soared to 9.8 million after 28 days. With viewers continually returning to watch the show, and audiences tuning in for a mix of nostalgia and novelty – it’s clear the BBC has a hit on its hands.