‘Gladiators’ star Falcon has died aged 59
Bernadette Hunt, best known as Falcon on the TV game show Gladiators, has died aged 59.
The news was announced by Rick Jango, the partner of Hunt’s older sister, who confirmed she had died following a battle with cancer.
In a Facebook post, he wrote: “It is with great sadness that I have to tell you of my partner’s younger sister Bernadette Hunt. Most people will remember her as Falcon from the hit TV show Gladiators.
“I had the privilege to be in her company a few times and I have to say she was one of the most loveliest people I have ever met. She never had a bad word to say about anyone, indeed she was always known as the nicest Gladiator, always stopping to speak and sign autographs for anyone.
“She had been battling cancer for a number of years until sadly she lost her fight. R.I.P. Bernie.”
Hunt joined Gladiators in the show’s second season in 1993 and remained until the show’s end in 2000. She was the second longest-serving female Gladiator on the show.
As noted in a tribute on the official Gladiators website, Hunt was a champion bodybuilder who went onto win titles such as Miss Novice Britain, Miss London and Miss South Britain.
“Many fans will remember Falcon as the most lovely, warm, generous person with a beaming smile! Our Gladiator family is truly heartbroken with our loss of Bernie,” the post reads.
After she left the show, Hunt went onto work as a personal trainer at Basingstoke Sports Centre.
She is survived by husband Mark and two children, son Adam and daughter Angel.
A revival of Gladiators aired on Sky between 2008 and 2009. A second reboot is set to be broadcast later this year on the BBC.
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Adam Starkey
NME
