Princess Royal ‘fascinated by Gladiators’, original 90s TV show star says

The Princess Royal is “fascinated” by Gladiators, a star of the original 90s TV show said after she was made an MBE at Windsor Castle.

Kate Staples, a former GB pole vaulter who starred as Zodiac, said Anne was “fascinated by it all” and had watched the TV series before.

The ex-athlete was made a Member of The Most Excellent Order Of The British Empire (MBE) by the Princess Royal in a ceremony on Tuesday.

Ms Staples told the Press Association: “She had watched Gladiators, and she said to me: ‘Oh, my goodness, so you’d qualified for the Olympics whilst you were on Gladiators?’ And I said: ‘Yes.’

“Then I had accidents, I didn’t go to the Olympics – she was fascinated by it all, which was lovely.

“She knew about my background and sport and what I had achieved in the sporting world.

“I broke my neck on Gladiators and I had a big recovery after that, and she knew about that.”

Ms Staples, who appeared on the British TV series from 1993 to 1996, became the first British woman to vault over three metres in 1992 and broke 29 British and Commonwealth records.

She broke her neck in two places after a fall during a Pole-Axe event on the show, which stopped her competing.

Ms Staples said the pair also discussed getting children involved in sport, and Anne recognised the importance.

The princess competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as part of the British equestrian team and is a British member of the International Olympic Committee.

Anne’s daughter Zara won a silver medal in equestrian team eventing at the London 2012 Olympics.

Ms Staples said: “She was saying how important that was to get children active, it was a really lovely conversation.”

The former TV star now works with schools and local communities to build grass roots athletics for children.

She added: “We are getting more children active, working with schools, councils and on the tracks, and, with our new Community Interest Company (CIC) Athletes For All, we are looking to raise money to include disadvantaged children.

“We have four new academies opening this year. Tracks are completely underutilised which is why I started what we are doing on the tracks at the moment.

“They sit there empty, and so now, not only is it a safe space, but it is a really lovely community for everybody to come and parents to meet each other.”