Another competitor bit the dust on Gladiators last weekend, but it was not Bedford's Joel Grant-Jones who has muscled his way into the game show's final.

The Star Club rower, also known as G.I. Joel to his fans, is now just one step away from the television series' £50,000 top prize.

Millions of viewers tuned in to watch the 22-year-old's semi-final on Sky One last Saturday and were not disappointed as the former Wootton Upper School and De Montfort University student triumphed in one of the closest competitions to date.

Mr Grant-Jones, of Church Walk, Kempston, said: "I put everything into that final Eliminator because I knew that was the only way I was going to win.

"My competitor Tom was a pretty tough challenger and had a real passion for it. His fiancee was pregnant so he was doing it for his little girl. He was on a mission."

Having scored well on the opening event, Hit And Run, Mr Grant-Jones, who is a personal trainer at Fitness First and a sports massage therapist at LA Fitness in Bedford, failed to score in two highly-physical games of Hang Tough and Pyramid.

He only had a one-second head-start going into the final Eliminator assault course and was level with his fellow competitor Tom Ward as both men sprinted up the travelator towards the finishing post.

Mr Ward slipped at the very last second, leaving 'G.I.' Joel to pull himself to the finish by his finger-tips, where he collapsed with exhaustion.

He added: "I feel pretty confident going into the final in that it is just another round, with four events like any other heat.

"I have nothing planned for the prize money if I win. I want to win the competition more than I want the money. I want to say I have beaten more than 20,000 other competitors to win the title."

Originally only selected as a reserve for the show, he will now go head-to-head with the winner of the second semi-final, showing on Sky One this weekend.

The show is pre-recorded, so Mr Grant-Jones is inviting fans of the show to watch the grand final with him and his family in The Litten Tree in Bedford from 6pm on August 24.