Viewers of the revamped BBC's Gladiators were in for a shock when they realised none other than boxing legend Frank Bruno's daughter, Rachel, was a contestant on the adrenaline-pumped show.

Airing on Saturday night (22 February), the revived classic had TV favourites Bradley and Bruno Walsh at the controls, introducing fresh contenders to go up against the formidable Gladiators across five nail-biting challenges.

It was all to play for as audiences met red-team competitor Rachel, whose unexpected family tie took them by surprise.

Intrigued by her passion for boxing, host Bradley unveiled her famous lineage, exclaiming: "Now, I know you're interested in your boxing, Rachel, because your dad is no other than Frank Bruno!"

Rachel acknowledged her prominent father with pride, sharing that her athletic prowess was inherited, saying: "You have to put 110% in it, and that is what I get from my dad."

Social media platform X buzzed with reactions. One shocked fan posted: "We have Frank Bruno's daughter taking on Gladiators. Holy WOW! " Another chimed in: "Hearing that a contestant's dad is Frank Bruno."

A third penned an intriguing comment about the women competitors: "Notes about the women: Aneila is the first contender to wear her Muslim headdress, and Rachel is the daughter of British boxing legend Frank Bruno!"

Rachel stood tall on the popular ITV programme but, despite giving her all, she couldn't quite secure a victory over her opponent, reports .

Rachel received a second chance as she emerged the swiftest runner-up in The Eliminator round, with enthusiastic support pouring in from fans.

A delighted fan posted on X to cheer her on: "Rachel didn't win but gets a bye to the quarter finals as she was the fastest runner up on Eliminator."

Another shared their excitement: "Oh and also congratulations to Rachel to getting to the quarterfinals!" While yet another exclaimed: "BOOM! Rachel is back in the game. As the fastest runner-up, she also makes the quarter-finals."

Meanwhile, Frank, the former British professional boxer triumphed in 40 of his 45 career fights-38 by knockout, securing his legacy as one of the boxing greats.

Gladiators airs Saturdays from 5:40pm on BBC One.