Gladiators finalist Marie-Louise Nicholson’s secret boyfriend is an adventure-loving rugby player with brains and brawn, MailOnline can reveal.
Marie-Louise, 28, told in an interview last week how she had been heartbroken by a recent breakup when she signed up for the BBC series.
But the glamorous fitness instructor revealed she had found a new partner, thanks to the TV show giving her the confidence to start dating again.
MailOnline can now reveal her new boyfriend is handsome sports fan Ben Hamer, 28, who shares her enthusiasm for keeping fit.
He voiced his support for her appearing as one of four contestants in the Gladiators final tonight by posting a photo on BBC MediaCityUK’s Instagram at Salford Quays.
Marie-Louise, 28, has a secret boyfriend who is an adventure-loving rugby player with brains and brawn.
The glamorous fitness instructor revealed she had found a new partner, thanks to the TV show helping give her the confidence to start dating again.
Her new boyfriend is handsome sports fan Ben Hamer, 28, who shares her enthusiasm for staying fit.
The actual final is believed to have been filmed last year at Sheffield’s Utilita Stadium, although the result was not revealed ahead of tonight’s show.
Ben’s social media is full of photos of him enjoying action-packed activities such as surfing, mountain biking, diving, sea kayaking, rugby and skiing.
But he also has an impressive academic record, having achieved A*, A, A grades in Biology, Chemistry and PE at school.
His LinkedIn profile reveals that he graduated in biology from Cardiff University and has since worked in various medical technology roles.
While in college, he played for the rugby team and was a member of the mountain biking team.
Marie-Louise, who now works in London as a Crossfit trainer, spoke about her love interest, without naming Ben as her partner, in an interview this week.
She said: “I thought I might meet someone on the show, but I didn’t really like any of the Gladiators or the other contestants.
“But Gladiators made me truly believe in myself; now I’m well loved and off the market.”
Social media images show Marie-Louise and Ben posing happily together, often after apparently working out at a gym.
A snap from last year showed her in tiny leopard skin shorts and a cropped gym top alongside a bare-chested Ben in gray shorts, with a caption that read: “Doing what I love.”
Another image posted by Marie-Louise showed them smiling in a similar pose next to gym weights.
The message accompanying the image read: “An elite adult PE weekend with these hooligans.”
The couple were also pictured on a beach on holiday in a post by Marie-Louise that included pictures of food and a message that read: “Some of the sweets.”
Marie-Louise, who now works in London as a Crossfit trainer, opened up about her love interest.
Social media images show Marie-Louise and Ben posing happily together, often after apparently working out at a gym.
Just three days ago, Marie-Louise posted photos of her and Ben enjoying a break at a luxury country house hotel with a caption that read: ‘Bootscootin’ around the Manor.’
Companies House records reveal that Ben set up a company called Ossomed in August 2022.
Latest accounts show the company appears to be in a healthy financial position with assets of more than £36,000 as of last August.
Earlier this year, Marie-Louise hilariously revealed that her father thought she had landed a role in a remake of the 2000 action film Gladiator starring Russell Crowe when she told him she was in the BBC reboot of the famous 1990s ITV game show.
She recalled: ‘My dad thought it was Gladiators (sic) the movie. Russell Crowe’s. It’s like, “Dad, I’m going to a show!”
The 11-episode series features contestants competing against “superhuman” athletes and bodybuilders in a series of games described as the ultimate test of speed and strength.