Gladiators star Jamie Bigg, better known to viewers by the stage name Giant, has confirmed that he will be leaving the show at the end of the current series.
In a social media post on Friday morning, Giant explained that stepping away from the show “wasn’t a decision I made”, indicating that he had been “faced with a choice that didn’t align with my values”.
He explained: “Being a Gladiator has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Stepping into that arena, hearing the crowd, representing strength, resilience and being a role model… that’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”
“What I do want to make clear is this wasn’t a decision I made to step away,” he continued. “I was faced with a choice that didn’t align with my values. And if you know me, you know this… I stand by my people and I stand by what I believe in. That’s what being a role model means to me.
“I’m proud of everything I gave to the show and grateful for every single person who supported me along the way. This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning. Stay strong. Stand tall.”
Several of Giant’s Gladiators co-stars were quick to show him their support in the comments, including Zack “Steel” George, who referred to him as “always the biggest” and Tom “Hammer” Wilson, who hailed him as the “duel king”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “After three formidable series, Giant is leaving Gladiators. We’d like to thank him for everything he has contributed to the show and wish him well for the future.”
The ex-professional bodybuilder and fire fighter had been with Gladiators since it was rebooted by the BBC in 2024.
He previously faced scrutiny after an old YouTube video of his in which he spoke candidly about his past use of his steroids was unearthed.
At the time, he said in a statement: “I have always been open and transparent about my use of steroids whilst I was a professional bodybuilder. During that time, I spoke openly about the legal use of performance enhancements as a competitive bodybuilder and how to safely administer them.
“I stopped competing as a bodybuilder in October 2022 and responsibly came off steroids. I am no longer a professional bodybuilder and am no longer taking steroids and do not advocate the use of them.”
