Gladiators star makes a shock appearance in Netflix’s new reality show Squid Game: The Challenge
A Gladiators star made a shocking appearance on Netflix’s new reality show Squid Game: The Challenge.
Wolf, 71, from the 1990s game show Gladiators, appeared as contestant 172 in the Netflix show, inspired by the hit series of the same name.
The bodybuilder, whose real name is Michael Van Wijk, played the character ‘Wolf’ in all thirteen series of ITV’s Gladiators which aired from 1992 to 2000.
In each episode, two male and two female contestants completed a series of physically taxing challenges against the ‘Gladiators’, all fitness fanatics, with the aim of stopping them at every opportunity.
Outside of the show, Michael ran a gym in London. He then moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he manages a chain of fitness studios.
Guess Who’s Back: One of These Gladiators (L-R) Warrior (Michael Ahearne), Panther (Helen O’Reilly), Trojan (Mark Griffin), Falcon (Bernadette Hunt), Wolf (Michael Van Wijk), pictured in 1994 , made a surprise appearance in Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge
It’s Wolf! Michael Van Wijk, 71, from the 1990s sports-entertainment game show Gladiators, appeared as contestant 172 in the Netflix show, inspired by the hit series of the same name
Like father, like son: In 2022, Michael appeared on Good Morning Britain with his son Dean, 35, where he spoke about the move and insisted he could still be a Gladiator
In 2022, Michael appeared on Good Morning Britain with his son Dean, 35, where he spoke about the move and insisted he could still be a Gladiator.
Gladiators was filmed at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham and there were also live shows at Wembley Arena.
Netflix UK confirmed Michael’s appearance on the show, tweeting “he’s the baaaaad wolf” and “Wolf!” in response to a disbelieving fan.
Featuring the largest cast in the history of reality television, the first five episodes of Squid Game: The Challenge aired on Netflix UK on Wednesday.
The next four episodes air on November 29 and the finale on December 6.
The original Squid Game took the world by storm in 2021, becoming Netflix’s most-watched series and winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Movie.
The series revolves around a secret competition where 456 players, all in dire financial straits, risk their lives to play a series of deadly children’s games for a chance to win a prize of ₩45.6 billion.
A second season was announced in June 2022.
It’s true: Netflix UK confirmed Michael’s appearance on the show, tweeting “he’s the baaaaad wolf” and “Wolf!” in response to a disbelieving fan
A revival of Gladiators was produced for Sky1 and aired between May 2008 and October 2009.
A second revival will air on BBC One in 2024 and will be presented by Bradley Walsh and his son Barney.
The first series will run for eleven episodes and was filmed at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield during the first two weeks of June 2023.
Gladiators is based on American Gladiators, which aired from 1989 to 1996.