A4iUK - LITEC truss supports TV Game Show - Gladiators

Roadrunner Rigging and LITEC Support TV Show Gladiators

Banbury-based Roadrunner Rigging, the company behind the design and provision of rigging structures and other essential elements for the iconic game show ‘Gladiators’, worked closely with Area Four Industries UK on a set design incorporating various products from LITEC truss structures, to bring this show to life.

The show relies not only for the safety of contestants, but also for visual impact, on the correct rigging, automation and manufacture of various scenic game elements.

‘Gladiators’ returned to TV screens at the start of 2024 in a re-vamped version of the popular family entertainment programme that originally aired in the 90s. A cultural phenomenon testing strength, skill and strategy in the highly adrenaline-fueled game show which pushes contestants to their limits, while delivering unparalleled entertainment to audiences worldwide.

The show has relaunched with a series of 11 episodes filmed at Utilita Arena, Sheffield in front of a live audience. Contestants battle against each other, and a formidable team of gladiators in a number of challenges designed to test their physical prowess, mental agility and strategic thinking.  

What sets ‘Gladiators’ apart is its unique blend of athleticism, strategy, skill and spectacle. All 16 gladiators offer their own unique strengths and abilities combined with a diverse range of challenges and immersive experiences with lots of heart-pounding action and dramatic showdowns, coupled with nail-biting moments of triumph and defeat. 

LITEC truss structures play a pivotal part in the design and construction of the new ‘Gladiators’ set design managed by the team at Roadrunner Rigging. LITEC truss is deployed in several of the key challenges including: ‘The Wall’, ‘The Eliminator’ and a new game called ‘The Edge’, due to its versatility, modularity in constructing required shape creations for the various games, while being aesthetically appealing on the visual high-energy set. 

LITEC QH30SA formed part of the scenic walls surrounding the two climbing walls, while the same product was also used for the finish gates in ‘The Eliminator’… the final event where contenders go head-to-head in the gruelling obstacle course spanning the whole Arena floor.  

‘The Edge’, an exciting new game introduced for the relaunch, features the gladiators chasing contenders in a ‘cat and mouse’ scenario on an elevated platform nine metres above the Arena floor. Roadrunner Rigging utilised LITEC QH40SA in the game base owing to its good strength-to-weight ratio while the Dado corner block system allowed standard truss lengths to be combined without changing the lengths of the sections. LITEC RL105A truss was used for the perimeter support for the catch net that sits under the game, with its very high strength for size and weight.  

The magic behind the scenes wouldn’t have been possible without the expertise of the team at Roadrunner Rigging, who were involved in the meticulous planning and execution in bringing the games to life. Damian Weymouth, Director at Roadrunner Rigging who was responsible for the show’s rigging design said: “LITEC was chosen to support the three key game areas due to the quality and flexibility of the products.” 

The transformation re-vamp for the new series was led by Production Designer Patrick Doherty and show’s lighting design managed by LD Nigel Catmur.