ITV Gladiators' Bradley Walsh reveals poignant reason for working with son Barney

-Credit:Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
-Credit:Dave J Hogan/Getty Images


Bradley Walsh, the host of Gladiators, has shared the poignant reason that makes him appreciate his joint appearances with his son Barney. The father-son duo are currently co-hosting the revamped version of Gladiators on BBC.

They have also starred together in the travel series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad, which has taken them to various countries in an RV while they take on challenges. According to 64 year old Bradley, he cherishes this time working with his son as it compensates for his 'lonely' showbiz life.

Speaking on the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner podcast, he said: "This is a beautiful thing. Our job when I've been a stand up or when I've been in shows, sometimes it's quite a lonely gig really, it's quite a lonely old life. To be able to work with members of your family is an extraordinary thing. I think that's a fantastic thing. It's a blessing."

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Bradley and Barney have been collaborating since the first series of Breaking dad aired on ITV in 2019. The TV star claims that over the years, his son has become so comfortable in front of the camera that he has even started directing his dad on set.

The pair are currently co-presenting Gladiators -Credit:BBC / James Stack / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd
The pair are currently co-presenting Gladiators -Credit:BBC / James Stack / © Hungry Bear Media Ltd

Bradley added: "What's happened is we started doing the travel show, when he was about 18. He's now 26 so I've seen him grow.

"When we're doing Gladiators in front of an arena with 4,000 people in it, he knows that eight or nine million people will watch it, he's now producing me a little bit. He's now learned as he's gone along. He's completely learned that whole process. The dynamic has gone kind of full circle so it's quite cool."

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Bradley, a father of two, is also celebrated for hosting the quiz show 'The Chase', which has been a staple on ITV since its debut in 2009 and continues to thrive after thousands of episodes. The host shared that the team behind 'The Chase' is so tight-knit that numerous children have been born to couples who met while working on the show. He disclosed: "It's such an enjoyable show to do, it really is. We've become great friends.

Bradley and Barney appearing on Breaking Dad -Credit:ITV
Bradley and Barney appearing on Breaking Dad -Credit:ITV

"I was at an awards thing the other night and I said something to the audience, which is true. We're a very transient show. If you've got youngsters who come into the industry, they come to us and they learn on our show. "We pass them on to bigger and better shows throughout television. We're very proud of that fact.

"We even joke, since we've started we've given birth to about a dozen, 14 or 15 kids."

Don't miss Bradley and Barney on 'Gladiators' tonight (Saturday, January 25) at 5.50pm on BBC One.