Gladiators star issues warning to opposition amid huge move away from BBC

BBC Gladiators star Livi Sheldon, AKA Diamond, is set to swap her leotard for football boots as she prepares to step onto the pitch for this year's Soccer Aid for UNICEF. The match will take place on Sunday, June 9, at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium, with Livi joining celebrities like Robbie Williams, Usain Bolt, and Paddy McGuinness on the field.

Livi, now 29, tells Express.co.uk: "I've always wanted to do Soccer Aid and being a Gladiator has given me that opportunity. So, when I got approached, of course I said yes! ". No stranger to the beautiful game, Livi has been playing football since she was a child. She started out playing for a boys' team at the age of six, before moving to a girls' team around the age of 12.

READ MORE: Major DVLA change would force millions of drivers to take urgent action

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp

Her talent was recognised and she was signed by Worcester City Ladies, where she eventually became captain, reports the Express. However, at the age of 18, Livi made the decision to step away from football to focus on her bodybuilding career. Despite this, she says football has always been a "huge part" of her life.

In a bold statement to her England competitors, the Gladiators star vows to be "very dominant on the pitch". She discloses: "With my bodybuilding background, I have been training to become stronger for over 10 years and I've got a lot of muscle mass. I am definitely going to be able to hold my own on this pitch with all the guys and the other girls as well."

"Playing football for all those years and doing functional training has helped me become more agile. I'm a bit of an all-rounder and I've got all the great aspects of a great footballer."

"We had more than 3,000 people watching in the arena for Gladiators; I know there will be a lot more people watching Soccer Aid and I am definitely going to embrace every second of it."

Praising Gladiators, Livi says the show was something she had "always been waiting for" and describes it as "incredible" to have such fantastic opportunities come her way because of it. She concluded: "I would have never been able to do something like this if it wasn't for Gladiators. It has completely changed my life... but I'm also still Livi. It has been an incredible ride and it's only just started, fingers crossed! ".

Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 takes place on Sunday 9th June at Stamford Bridge, London. Buy your tickets at socceraid.org.uk/tickets.