BBC want Holly Willoughby to front Gladiators reboot

Holly Willoughby has reportedly been offered a "big-money deal" to host 'Gladiators'.

The BBC are set to revive the iconic game show - which saw members of the public go up as Contenders against the resident Gladiators in a series of tough physical challenges - and because it will cost the network a "substantial amount of money" to produce, they are keen to land a big-name host in order to help pull in viewers.

And with bosses making no secret of the fact they are keen to lure the 'This Morning' presenter - who recently hosted 'Freeze The Fear With Wim Hof' for them - to work for them full time, they see Holly as the perfect choice to front the revamped show, which is being made by her husband Dan Baldwin's production company, Hungry Bear.

A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "This is the perfect scenario for the BBC. They have managed to get one of ITV’s most nostalgic programmes and there is a slot for Holly to front a massive show for them.

"The bosses at the BBC want Holly to be theirs outright. Gladiators is a Saturday night programme which will reach across generations. It might just be the answer to their lack of big entertainment shows.

"It is the BBC’s dream to have Holly hosting a big Saturday night show. Her husband is making it, so they are praying they can pull it off. All the signs are there and it looks like it will go ahead."

'Gladiators' first hit screens on ITV in 1992 and ran for eight seasons before its 2000 end, with the likes of Ulrika Jonsson, John Fashanu and Jeremy Guscott taking on presenting duties.

In 2008, the show was resurrected for two seasons on Sky One, including three episodes that saw the new generation of Gladiators go up against some of the original lineup. International editions have also sprung up in countries such as Australia, the United States, Finland and South Africa.