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Privacy NoticeJohn Anderson, the iconic voice behind the original Gladiators TV show, has passed away at the age of 92. John’s distinctive voice made him a household name across the UK. As the referee on the legendary television programme Gladiators, his catchphrase “Contender ready! Gladiator ready! ” catapulted him to fame. Before his stint on the show, John was renowned as an exceptional track and field coach, guiding the careers of numerous Olympians. One of his most notable students was Dave Moorcroft, whom he coached to break the world 5000m record in Oslo in 1982. John also trained Olympic heptathlete Judy Simpson, Olympic middle-distance finalist Sheila Carey and Liz McColgan, who won Olympic 10,000m silver in 1988.
John Anderson has died at the age of 92
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
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As reported by Athletics Weekly, the Glaswegian passed away in the early hours of Sunday, with Dave being one of the first to pay tribute. The former runner praised John’s coaching skills, reports the Mirror. “I can’t speak too highly of John,” Dave told Athletics Weekly. “He turned water into wine. At our club (Coventry Godiva) we’d never had anybody break four minutes for mile, but not only did I do it but Tim Redman, Colin Ridding and Steve James all broke four minutes.” “I don’t think any of them would describe themselves as world beaters but John just got the best out of people. I’m certain that I would never have been a decent athlete if it wasn’t for John. Not just because of the training he gave me, but he took a shy kid who didn’t believe in himself and just had that amazing ability to believe in me and others.”
John was iconic voice behind the original Gladiators TV show
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“He would die for his athletes and he never took a step backwards. He was a fighter in everything he did. He coached me from the age of 16 and never took a penny. It cost him a fortune for the privilege of working for nothing.” His coaching career was extensive, spanning several decades, wherein he is estimated to have worked with over 170 Team GB athletes and acted as a National Coach for the AAA of England.
Dave Moorcroft is among those who have paid tribute to John
(Image: Leo Mason/Popperfoto via Getty Images)
John’s jump to national fame markedly came as the formidable head official in the hit TV show Gladiators starting in 1992. After an eight-year tenure, he left in 2000, only to briefly return in 2008. Moving away from television, John went back to coaching, achieving massive success in transforming William Sharman from a decathlete to a world-class sprint hurdler. His legacy in both the sporting and entertainment worlds is indelibly etched into British culture.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnGladiators
