Is beating the superhuman stars of the Gladiators TV show part of your 2024 training plans? Well, it was for Scottish downhill and enduro racer Kerry Wilson, who this weekend made it through to the quarter finals of the rebooted show. Wilson, who is also a dog walker, beat fellow ‘normal person’ Natasha Lawrence in a series of physical competitions against each other and the so-called Gladiators to make it through to the next stage of the competition.

Contenders ready! Gladiators ready!

Fans of the original 90s show will recognise classic challenges, although the Gladiators themselves are all new – probably for the best given it’s been 30 years… If getting fitter and being more confident on the bike is something you’re interested in, however, make sure you read our article on getting fit for mountain biking and racing in 12 weeks.

While you’re unlikely to find yourself beating someone with a big stick whilst balancing on a log on the trail, if you extract the muscles and strength needed to do well you might find it similar to holding your own on your mountain bike. Or, it might be that I’m trying to find a tenuous link between Kerry Wilson’s physical prowess in a game show and her ability on the bike. You say tomato I say tomato.

So who is Kerry Wilson?

Wilson only started riding in 2018 and in the years since has made a big mark on the downhill and enduro community in Scotland and further afield. She’s won the Elite Downhill Scottish championships twice, in 2021 and 2022 respectively. And has since begun to ride enduro races, winning at Tweed Valley last year in the eMTB competition. Currently she rides for Hunt/Privateer bikes, and you can find some epic shots and videos on her Instagram profile.

The next round of the show will be shown on Saturday on BBC One.