Gladiators for the new series named

Original Gladiators star Michael Jefferson King, otherwise known as Shadow, is serving a prison sentence after admitting to blackmail.

The ITV star was jailed for six years and three months back in August 2021 for his involvement in a blackmail plot over drugs debt.

He was one of four people who kept victim Aaron Ali detained for hours in a flat in Acton, west London.

King admitted to two counts of blackmail when he appeared in court alongside the three other defendants – Simon Batson, Donna Harman and Otis Noel.

The former bodybuilder and wrestler is now almost two years into his prison sentence.

Before his involvement with a criminal gang, he reported he had overcome his drug addiction which he had been battling since the 70s.

Having been born in London, he moved to New York as a teenager and turned his attention to sports.

He unfortunately fell victim to the crack boom in the late 70s, which was when his drug addiction started.

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He was able to overcome his addiction and rebuild his life with his wife at the time and two children, Theo and Tiffany.

By 2011 he was working with a drug rehabilitation clinic to help people suffering with drug abuse.

The star had previously ended up losing his job on Gladiators while at the centre of a steroid abuse scandal.

He was sacked from the show in 1995 after a drug test showed he had been taking anabolic steroids.

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The Independent quoted him as saying: “I was cheating myself. I did it to get my body back up to par.

“The thing I hold closest to my heart is the admiration of millions of children who watch the show.

“I’m very sorry to have let them down, and also my colleagues on Gladiators. I did a very foolish thing at Christmas. I took a compound containing anabolic steroids.

“There is no justification for taking them – I knew if I was found out I would be fired.”

The Gladiators reboot will air on the BBC

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