Lightning first lit up the arena in the early 90s(Image: REX)

Gladiators star, 53, flaunts her unbelievably ripped six-pack ahead of show's return

Kim Betts, who first donned the daring Lycra 30 years ago, showcased her fantastic figure as she told fans they can 'still look as good as they did in their 20s' ahead of the show's reboot.

by · The Mirror

Original Gladiator Lightning got in the mood for the iconic show's return this weekend by handing out a little motivation as she showed off her eye-popping six-pack.

Athlete Kim Betts, 53, proved she is very much still in shape, more than 30 years after first bursting onto screens. She still loves to lift and after garnering a reputation as one of the toughest female Gladiators ever, Lightning's strong love of bodybuilding won't come as a shock to fans.

Kim appeared on the show from 1992 until 2000 - simultaneously becoming the longest-serving female star on the programme. She decided to leave the world of TV after hanging up her Lycra and is now a successful businesswoman.

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She's certainly still got it and showed everyone her jaw-dropping six pack
She told fans they can 'still look as good as you did in your 20s'( Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

But showcasing her incredible physique, it's clear fitness is still a huge part of her life. Giving her Instagram followers a lift, she wrote: "Me today…. A 53yr old grandma. It’s irrelevant how many children you’ve given birth to.. It really doesn’t matter how old you are… You can STILL look as good as you did in your 20’s! Or EVEN BETTER!"

Her fans made sure she felt the love as she flashed her washboard abs and one told her: "You have been inspiring me with you extreme skills, strength and beauty since I was 8 years old" while another told the star: "Still my favourite Gladiator."

Kim previously appeared on This Morning and said fans never let her forget her Lightning days. She shared: "It's only now as well that I realise, and I still get lots of stories being sent to me saying, 'you inspired me so much, you changed my life, you motivated me,' and you think, 'wow', it really was quite powerful, the message that it put across and how it did inspire and change people's lives."

She's sure to be watching this weekend with the iconic 90s TV show is returning with a brand new batch of Gladiators. The show made its debut on ITV in 1992 and continued for eight seasons before it was axed. Gladiators was later revived by Sky in 2008 but was quickly cancelled. The new BBC reboot will begin on Saturday when we'll see the fresh line-up of Lycra-clad warriors take on brave members of the public.

Bradley Walsh and his son Barney take over from Ulrika Jonsson and John Fashanu on hosting duties. Fans can look forward to seeing their favourite challenges like the Eliminator, Duel and Hang Tough in the series, which will consist of 11 episodes - and fans can't wait to see what's in store.

The full line-up of Gladiators, along with their costumes, has already been revealed. The Gladiators have been seen together against a pink and blue backdrop in a promotional photo, teasing that they are ready for a lot of gruelling challenges. The line-up includes the likes of Bionic, Legend, Electro, Fire, Diamond, Nitro, Giant, Steel, Apollo, Comet, Viper, Athena, Fury, Sabre, Dynamite and Phantom.

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