Gladiators’ Jet left the show after injury which she says was a ‘warning’

Gladiators star Jet has told how she left the show after hurting her neck in a terrifying fall, which she believes was a "warning”.

The TV star – real name Diane Youdale – was a favourite on the 90s sports entertainment show, which she starred on from 1992 until 1996.

She stepped away from the programme after four years, after falling from a giant pyramid and injuring her neck.

Read more: Ulrika Jonsson reveals 'bed-hopping' behind the scenes of Gladiators

And she has now said leaving was a “no brainer”.

Speaking to the Mirror on behalf of Ice 36, Youdale said that when she got injured she had recently got married.

She had also long wanted to study psychotherapy and psychology.

"I sat there recovering at home, I'd compressed my cervical vertebrae had it been worse, it would have been a neck break,” said the star, who is now 53.

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“I thought 'I've had a warning', the pyramid is a tough, tough game – it's basically vertical rugby at speed!”

Youdale, who is now a trained psychotherapist, went on: “I just thought, it's time, I'd done the first four and a half years, I can save some pennies and go to university and do what I always wanted to do since I was a kid – it worked well for me."

Gladiators is being rebooted

Gladiators originally aired from 1992 to 2000. It was a huge success and was hosted by Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu.

It was dropped in 2000 and briefly resurrected in 2008.

Read more: Gladiators star Cobra reveals he was sometimes drunk on the show

Then in 2022 it was confirmed that it was being brought back with a new series to air this year, which will be hosted by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney.

Watch: Wolf from Gladiators wants a return to the show