Bronte Gladiators: Sheffield gets behind city firefighter competing in final of hit BBC show

The whole of Sheffield will be cheering on city firefighter Bronte Jones as she competes in the final of Gladiators this weekend.

The 24-year-old, who grew up in Mosborough and now lives in Frecheville with her boyfriend Harry, will go head to head with Marie Louise to be crowned the series winner in the final, due to air on BBC One this Saturday, March 30, at 5.50pm.

She has wowed viewers with the strength, speed and calmness under pressure she has displayed during previous rounds of the show, which was filmed at Utilita Arena Sheffield last year.

Bronte, who is currently based at Rotherham Fire Station, has credited her experience working for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue with helping her handle the pressure.

She has told how her favourite event is Duel and the toughest Gladiator she has faced is Fury.

Speaking ahead of the final, she told The Star that the hardest part was getting used to being on camera, explaining: "The games were the fun part, it was the other bits which were more daunting."

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But she said it was great to have so many friends and family cheering her on in her home city during filming.

Bronte added that she had been recognised a few times while attending incidents, mostly by children, and had become a minor celebrity within the fire service, with other firefighters asking for selfies to show their kids.

Bronte reached the final by battling her way past first Alex, a 29-year-old civil servant from Swindon, then Tasha, a 41-year-old school staff nurse from Ipswich, and finally Betti, a 31-year-old gym fitness trainer from Bolton, in the semi-final. With filming for Gladiators having taken place last summer, Bronte is now busy preparing to run the Sheffield Half Marathon in memory of her boyfriend's cousin Molly Midgley, who died tragically died aged just 27 of a rare cancer called adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

She and the rest of 'Team Molly' are raising money for Weston Park Cancer Charity. To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/teammollyfundraising.