Gladiators’ Falcon dies aged 59

Gladiator Falcon has died aged 59 after battling cancer.

Gladiators pitted members of the public against super fit athletes in a series of physical challenges. Falcon – whose real name was Bernadette Hunt – competed on the show between 1993-1999.

Her death was announced by her sister’s partner.

“It is with great sadness that I have to tell you of my partner’s younger sister Bernadette Hunt who most people will remember as Falcon from the hit TV Show Gladiators,” Rick Jango said.

“I had the privilege to be in her company a few times and I have to say she was one of the most loveliest people I have ever met.

“She never had a bad word to say about anyone, indeed she was always known a the nicest ‘Gladiator’ always stopping to speak & sign autographs for anyone.

“She had been battling cancer for a number of years until sadly she lost her fight.”

Hunt trained as a ballerina and aerobics instructor, before going on to win several building competitions in the early 1990s.

She made her Gladiators debut during the show’s second series in 1993. After leaving the show in 1999, she became a personal trainer.

The BBC commissioned a reboot of Gladiators earlier this year.

This marks the second time the show has been revived in the UK after Sky One aired two series between 2008 and 2009, hosted by Ian Wright, Kirsty Gallacher, and Caroline Flack.