Bradley Walsh was left covering his face after an unexpected on-air blunder during the latest episode of BBC's Gladiators.
The 64-year-old presenter returned to host the show alongside his son, Barney, as contestants took on a series of gruelling challenges. However, the show nearly descended into chaos when Bradley was accidentally hit in the face by a flying trainer.
Unexpected accident
© BBCThe incident happened as the father-son duo introduced one of the show's most intense challenges, The Wall.
Barney warned contestants about the potential pitfalls of the event, saying: "Ok, now it's time for The Wall. Be warned. Last series, a lot of people's shoes came off during this event, but I'm sure it will be fine this time around."
Bradley responded: "I wouldn't be so sure, Barnes," extending his hand in anticipation.
A crew member off-camera then threw a trainer towards him, but instead of catching it, the shoe hit him directly in the face, leaving the audience stunned.
Bradley's reaction
© BBCEver the professional, Bradley quickly laughed off the moment, joking: "I was supposed to catch that in my hand, you maniac."
As he rubbed his eye, he added: "That didn't happen in rehearsal!"
The presenter bent down to pick up the shoe, reiterating with a chuckle: "You were supposed to throw it at my hand!"
More chaos unfolds
© BBCThe shoe mishap wasn't the only drama during the episode. Contestant Scott suffered an injury while competing in The Wall.
In the challenge, contenders must race to the top of a 30ft wall within a minute while being pursued by a Gladiator. If they are pulled off, they score zero points.
Scott and his fellow contestant, Nathan, faced off against Gladiators Legend and Viper. Both were swiftly caught, but it soon became clear that Scott had sustained an injury.
Bradley observed: "Oh no. I think something has happened here. He's hurt himself. It looks like a dislocation."
Scott was seen holding his hand and later confirmed he had dislocated his finger.
Scott’s resilience
© BBCDespite the painful mishap, Scott remained in good spirits. He revealed: "I dislocated my finger as soon as I got to the top. It snapped. It's alright, I just put it back in."
Determined to continue, he assured everyone that he was fit to compete, having managed to pop his finger back into place backstage.
Despite the unexpected incidents, the episode continued without further hitches, and fans praised Bradley’s humour and the contestants' resilience.
Gladiators is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
