We went to the Gladiators Experience at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for press night and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve been a fan of the show since the nineties and actually had the chance to go and watch the original show be filmed. Walking in to the arena at the NEC was like stepping straight on to the TV set.
If you grew up watching Gladiators and thinking “I could absolutely smash that Eliminator” I have news for you…
You can now actually try it!
What is the Gladiators Experience at the NEC Birmingham
It’s basically a huge indoor arena filled with the actual games from the show. Not a watered-down version, not something loosely inspired by it. The Eliminator is there, TheWall, Hang Tough, Unleash and my personal favourite: Duel!
They’ve also made sure it works for families. There are two areas for each activity (except for unleash) with dedicated junior/family versions of the Eliminator, Duel and Hang Tough. Theres a mini Training Zone inside the arena which is like a mini Eliminator for younger kids and also a soft play area which looks just like the real thing for little ones in the spectator zone. I saw children as young as three or four happily playing, so it’s not just for older kids or adults.
When you arrive, you check in, complete waivers (which can be done in advance to save time) on tablets and create a profile. You’re then given a wristband which you scan at each activity. That tracks your times and allocates you to positions when needed, like on the Eliminator or Wall.
It’s full-on, properly physical, and honestly one of the most fun (and exhausting) things I’ve done in a long time. The kids agree.
How much does the Gladiators Experience cost?
Tickets are £44.50 for adults and £39.50 for children if you’re taking part. Spectator tickets are cheaper, around £17.50 to £22.50. Each session lasts 75 minutes. There are free Accessible Companion tickets available to book (ID required). All bookable through a dedicated Gladiators Experience Website.
If you’re heading as a family then book a “family” ticket as the junior activities are restricted so that adults only ticket holders can not participate.
It’s not cheap, but this is one of those experiences where it feels justified. It’s a proper one-off. If you grew up watching Gladiators, the nostalgia alone makes it worth it – for the kids, it was just pure excitement the whole time. It’s really difficult to find something which keeps the older teens and the little ones happy, and for the six of us (kids aged 8-14) and two adults who love sports, and are super competitive this was right up our street.
Age restrictions and who it’s suitable for
Children under 14 need to be accompanied by an adult spectator. Some of the “adult” activities have a height restriction. The adult eliminator is 1.5m so the teens were able to get on this and were delighted! Adult Duel was 1.3m and the podiums were a lot higher for them to fall from.
The older kids in our group could access everything, and the younger ones still had loads to do. It’s one of those rare places that genuinely works for a wide age range without anyone feeling left out. Only family ticket holders can access the junior games which is a great way to separate adult only ticket holders and manage queuing and numbers at each activity.
What happens when you arrive
Everything is really well organised and very clearly signposted. There’s a kit room where you’re each given a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads, which you absolutely do need.
There are free lockers with a simple code system, and changing rooms with cubicles and benches. It was busy but still easy enough to get changed without feeling cramped.
There’s also a warm-up area with bikes, running machines and a nice space to stretch, which is a nice touch. Certainly needed, especially if you’re competing to win or chasing a personal best.
The staff are everywhere, all dressed like referees, and they’re genuinely helpful. Every activity has someone there guiding you, keeping things moving and making sure everyone knows what they’re doing.
There’s also a section called the Vault with costumes and memorabilia from the show, and a big merch area. They’ve got everything from hoodies down to small bits like pens, coins and medals. My son immediately wanted a medal. There’s also a photo booth station where you can get a personalised lanyard printed, which the kids loved. Plus lots of photo opportunities, backdrops and props which are a lovely nod to the original nineties show.
Here you can also make your own lanyard with a photography station where you can add your gladiator name and stats – all the kids got really creative with their poses here!
The Eliminator and what it’s actually like
I genuinely didn’t think they’d have the full Eliminator. I thought it would be a like a watered down soft play version, but it’s almost exactly like the real thing.
I went in thinking I was reasonably fit. I was wrong. It’s exhausting, and it gives you a completely new respect for how good the contestants on the show actually are.
At one point I was queuing on my own because my sister wasn’t sure she could do it with an injury. A couple of contenders started chatting to me and when I said I was doing it solo, one of them, Myles Harris (2024 series) actually stayed with me and did the entire course alongside me, talking me through it. He said the real thing is higher but that’s the only real difference.
Nathan Bland (2025 series) then accompanied my sister and then my nephew around the course. Once was enough for me, I have no idea how these guys do it!
It completely put the cherry on top for the Gladiator experience. It’s one of those moments where you finish and think I cannot believe I’ve just done that. I was shaking with adrenaline but it’s something to tick off my bucket list which has been there for about thirty years. Not sure I’ll ever be a champion like Amanda Wah but at least we can all say we tried!
Is the Gladiators Experience safe?
You do see people getting bumps and knocks. It’s physical, and that comes with the territory.
Every time something happened, no matter how minor the staff were ready to respond immediately. Activities, paused, people were checked on and everything was handled quickly and calmly. The staff communicate with radios and earpieces throughout and are stationed at the entrance of each activity.
They help to scan your wrist bands and give you a mini briefing, describing the activities, highlighting the instructions and safety information. No head shots on Duel, wear a gum shield, getting you in to harnesses for the wall and reminding you to lift your legs horizontally to land on the zip wire.
They also have several team members at points throughout the activities, signalling to each other when it’s safe for others to start and giving you a little bit of motivation. I needed the pep talk to take the zip wire, and the cheering for the wall got Logan a record time!
It didn’t feel unsafe, just active. You need to go in expecting it to be a physical experience, it’s not a walk in the park!
What to wear to the Gladiators Experience
I wore leggings, a t shirt, a sports bra and trainers, which worked perfectly.
If I went again, I would probably wear long sleeves as well just to avoid scrapes or bruises. You do get protective pads, but you’re still climbing, crawling and moving around a lot.
Definitely wear proper sportswear. This is not something you can do in jeans, casual or loose fitting clothes. Comfort is key. I’m going to spend the next few months training hard in the gym so I can try the eliminator again and then feel worthy of wearing the merchandise!
Queues and session times
We went for an evening session during the launch and managed to get round everything, which I was surprised about. There was a huge number of people but with the arena being so big it didn’t feel crowded anywhere once everyone spread out.
When booking, there’s a traffic light system that shows how busy sessions are. Queues were well managed with lines snaking around each activity and didn’t feel too long, especially because you can watch other people while you’re waiting.
They will have gladiators making appearances for meet and greets throughout the season. Keep an eye on social media to see which dates your favourites will be making an appearance!
If you’re an adult, I would probably try a daytime session during term time. Summer holidays will likely be busy, especially on rainy days. The booking website has a traffic light system (red, amber, green) so you can see how busy each session will be).
Facilities
The NEC is perfect to host this kind of event, with plenty of toilets at the venue and inside the arena with accessible options available (just to the side of the junior eliminator) Lockers were easy to use for storage of clothing and personal items (and free to use with simple instructions). Changing rooms were busy but manageable. With benches to sit and pop the knee pads on if you’re dressed, and cubicles if you need privacy.
Food is on the expensive side, which is expected at somewhere like this, but you can take your own. With various vendors inside the NEC and also resorts world a small walk away with many different restaurants.
There are also free water stations to refill near the Eliminator courses (much appreciated).
NEC parking and logistics
It’s easy to get to, but if you’ve been to the NEC before you’ll know the car parks can be quite far from the halls.
There are shuttle buses, but give yourself plenty of time to get from the car park to the entrance. You do have to pay for parking as well.
If travelling from Birmingham City Centre then you can easily get the train to Birmingham International (approx 15mins). The station is connected to the NEC and walkable all under cover.
Is the Gladiators Experience worth it
Yes. It’s fun, nostalgic, genuinely challenging and something completely different. I thought it might feel a bit tacky, and maybe not live up to my expectations (we have all heard the horror stories of events like this in the past) but the Gladiator Experience absolutely delivers on its promises.
Would I go again?
Yes! The experience is running from now until the end of August. My plan is to get in the gym and work on my upper body strength so that I can get around the eliminator course in a personal best time! I think I’m going to see if I can organise an adults only day out – if you’ve got friends who are in to Cross Fit, Hyrox or Obstacle Course racing and fancy themselves as a contender then this is like the adult playground of dreams. I think the kids will all be asking to go back over the summer holidays too!
It’s an indoor arena where you can try the actual Gladiators challenges, including the Eliminator, the Wall and other physical games, with both adult and child-friendly versions.
Each session lasts 75 minutes, which is more than enough time to try multiple activities. It’s very physical so most people are exhausted by the end.
Tickets are around £44.50 for adults and £39.50 for children, with spectator tickets available at a lower price.
Yes, there are child-friendly versions of most activities and a mini area for younger children. Under 14s need to be accompanied by an adult spectator.
You should wear sportswear and trainers. Leggings and long sleeves are a good idea as the activities are physical and you may get minor bumps or scrapes.
It is well supervised with staff at every activity. It is physical, so bumps and falls can happen, but staff respond quickly if anything goes wrong.
Yes, spectator tickets are available if you don’t want to take part but still want to watch.
If you enjoy the TV show or want a unique, active day out, it’s definitely worth it. It’s a one-off experience and something a bit different from the usual days out.
Last Updated on Saturday, May 2, 2026 by Lavania Oluban
