# Matty Campbell
**Matty Campbell** (born 1995) is an English bodybuilder and television personality who competes as "Bionic" on the BBC sports entertainment show *[Gladiators](https://www.edgepedia.org/gladiators-2023-british-tv-series)*, a role he has held since the show's 2024 revival.[1](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/matty-campbell.html) • [2](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/) From Teesside in north-east England, he stands 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall and can deadlift over 300 kg.[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995, Middlesbrough, England[1](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/matty-campbell.html) |
| Gladiator name | Bionic, on the BBC revival of *Gladiators* from January 2024[2](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/) |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) |
| Strength mark | Deadlift over 300 kg[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) |
| Bodybuilding nickname | "The Mountain", from his IFBB competition days[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) |
| Early sport | Sprinting at county level and football at academy level, ended by a car crash at 17[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) • [4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html) |
## Early life and the car crash
Campbell grew up in [Middlesbrough](https://www.edgepedia.org/middlesbrough) and was a sprinter as a child, reaching county level, before moving into football as a teenager and reaching academy level.[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) He has said he had trials at Derby, Peterborough and Middlesbrough, and that his dream of becoming a professional footballer ended at 17 with a crash in a friend's car.[4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html) A speaker agency dates the accident to 2013.[5](https://champions-speakers.co.uk/speaker-agent/matty-campbell)
The injuries were serious: a punctured lung, broken ribs, and a badly broken ankle that left him unable to walk.[4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html) Rehabilitation introduced him to the gym, and although he had never previously been a regular gym-goer, he found he had a natural ability to gain muscle and took up bodybuilding.[2](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/) • [3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) He has spoken publicly about how his mental health suffered in the aftermath, describing himself in mid-2022 as being at a low point before his fortunes changed.[4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html)
## Bodybuilding
Campbell competed in IFBB bodybuilding shows and became known among his peers as "The Mountain" because of his frame.[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) His social media presence, built on motivational posts, workout tips, and training content, attracted a following that the *Gladiators* production team later noticed.[6](https://influencermatchmaker.co.uk/influencer/matty-campbell) • [4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html)
## Gladiators
The *Gladiators* team spotted Campbell on social media, and he joined the BBC's 2024 reboot of the 1990s sports entertainment show as Bionic, a name reflecting his size and strength.[4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html) • [2](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/) On his selection he said: "Never in a million years did I expect to get the call to be a Gladiator, it's a feeling that'll never sink in. I'm just a normal lad from Teesside!"[2](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/) He has described a "fun, love-hate relationship" with the show's referee, former Premier League referee [Mark Clattenburg](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-clattenburg), rooted in the Middlesbrough and Newcastle football rivalry.[7](https://www.inkl.com/news/meet-the-new-gladiators-facing-off-against-contenders-on-rebooted-bbc-game-show)
**Injuries.** Filming the physically demanding series has repeatedly sidelined him. Along with fellow Gladiators Legend and Diamond, he reported an injury sustained during filming for the third series; his was a shoulder injury requiring an operation, and he missed most of that series, which aired in 2026.[8](https://bbc.com.im/newsround/articles/cy0q1vqx0dpo) During filming of a head-to-head challenge he also collapsed with an apparent leg injury, pausing production while paramedics treated him.[9](https://www.zaptv.co.uk/news/2026/03/gladiators-set-struck-by-medical-emergency-during-intense-challenge) Ahead of the show's fourth series, announced for 2027, he and Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains) were reported as expected not to appear after both suffered injuries.[10](https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/newsround/articles/cy8mk40d95vo)
## Television and media work
Beyond *Gladiators*, Campbell has appeared on *The One Show*, where he featured in a segment on men's mental health, as well as *Saturday Mash-Up!*, *The Weakest Link*, Children in Need, and [Comic Relief](https://www.edgepedia.org/comic-relief).[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) • [4](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html) He has featured on the cover of *Luxe* magazine and takes part in UK-wide events including the Great North Run and Truck Fest.[3](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/) He offers online coaching through his social media channels.[11](https://linktr.ee/mattycam96)
## References
1. [Matty Campbell – Age, Bio, Family, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/matty-campbell.html)
2. [Bionic (Matty Campbell), GladiatorsTV.com](https://www.gladiatorstv.com/gladiators-uk/bbc/bionic/)
3. [Matty Campbell / Bionic, Hungry Bear Media](https://www.hungrybearmedia.co.uk/matty-campbell/)
4. [Gladiators star 'struggled to walk again' after car crash, AOL/Yahoo TV UK](https://www.aol.co.uk/gladiators-star-struggled-walk-again-201437126.html)
5. [Matty Campbell Speaker Agent, Champions Speakers](https://champions-speakers.co.uk/speaker-agent/matty-campbell)
6. [Matty Campbell, Influencer Matchmaker](https://influencermatchmaker.co.uk/influencer/matty-campbell)
7. [Meet the Gladiators facing off against contenders on rebooted BBC game show, The Independent via Inkl](https://www.inkl.com/news/meet-the-new-gladiators-facing-off-against-contenders-on-rebooted-bbc-game-show)
8. [Gladiators UK: Bionic, Legend and Diamond all report picking up injuries ahead of season three, BBC Newsround](https://bbc.com.im/newsround/articles/cy0q1vqx0dpo)
9. [Gladiators Set Struck by Medical Emergency During Intense Challenge, ZapTV](https://www.zaptv.co.uk/news/2026/03/gladiators-set-struck-by-medical-emergency-during-intense-challenge)
10. [Former rugby star Joe Marler becomes first ever celebrity Gladiator, BBC Newsround](https://bbcbreakingnews.pages.dev/newsround/articles/cy8mk40d95vo)
11. [Matty Campbell – Bionic Official, Linktree](https://linktr.ee/mattycam96)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Athletics, gymnastics, and strength sports › Bodybuilding: competitions and competitors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license