24 Feb 2026
Orthopaedic surgeon Ellie Lederer narrowly lost in the quarter-finals after another impressive showing.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Ellie Lederer competes on Gladiators. (Image: BBC:Hungry Bear)
A vet’s journey on BBC smash-hit Gladiators came to an end on Saturday (21 February) as she narrowly lost out in the quarter-finals.
Orthopaedic surgeon Elspeth “Ellie” Lederer made up a one-second deficit in the Eliminator to reach the iconic travelator first ahead of her fellow contender, business consultant Naomi, but a fall at the crucial moment saw her narrowly defeated.
The RCVS and European specialist in small animal surgery enjoyed some memorable moments in her appearance in the heats, and she impressed audiences again in her quarter-final.
She escaped Cyclone – having earlier taken the gladiator’s shoe off when they clashed on Collision – to take maximum points on The Wall, tangled with Fire on the returning classic event Suspension Bridge and took on Comet and Electro in the iconic atlaspheres of Crash Course.
The 37-year-old also smashed through new game Destruction – which she had failed to score on in the heats – to take five points.
Magnanimous in defeat, Dr Lederer said to her opponent: “I’ve got to give it to Naomi, that power, you won it fair and square, girl.”
Speaking to Vet Times after her appearance in the heats, she said it was “really surreal” to watch herself back on television and described her Gladiators experience as “absolutely incredible”.
