A Bedford bruiser has battled his way through to the semi-finals of hit television game show Gladiators.

Joel Grant-Jones, of Church Walk, Kempston, had to come from behind in last Saturday's quarter-final showdown, featured on Sky One, but the Star Club rower says he feels confident going into the semis.

The 22-year-old said: "Some of the Gladiators can be pretty mean and aggressive and like to hit you hard if they can, but I didn't find it that hard.

"We are only competing for between ten and 60 seconds for each event, whereas in a two-kilometre rowing race you're working for about six minutes. It's a bit of fun, really.

"I feel confident going into the semi-finals. I've gone into the eliminator behind twice now. If I could come back to beat those guys, I think I have a fairly good chance."

The former Wootton Upper School and De Montfort University student was one of 20,000 athletes to apply to be on the show, after his girlfriend heard about the competition on BBC Radio 1.

The intensive selection process required applicants to answer a number of personal questions, pass two physical tests and undergo scrutiny and ridicule at a recording session to test how their character came across on camera.

Mr Grant-Jones was initially selected only as a reserve, despite notching up the highest score out of 70 athletes during his physical tests, and being the only man to draw a wrestling match with Gladiator Atlas. He said: "It's been quite a good comeback to get to the semi-finals.

"I was backstage before the first heat, fairly miserable that I couldn't compete, when the director took me aside and told me I was in the competition because one of the other competitors could not take part."

Standing at more than 6ft tall and weighing nearly 16 stone, Mr Grant-Jones, who is a personal trainer at Fitness First and a sports massage therapist at LA Fitness in Bedford, has the advantage of being as big as some of the gladiators.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, he prefers the more physical events.

He said: "My favourites are powerball and duel. I hate Hit And Run and Hang Tough, as the first time I did it Tornado almost ripped my shoulder.

"Pyramid is an impossible event as you are trying to run up big foam blocks and the travelator is particularly tiring."

The semi-finals of Gladiators are showing on Sky One during August before the grand final is screened on Saturday, August 23.