Blackpool mum Nia Rutter will be watching herself on TV's Gladiators this weekend

Resort mum Nia Rutter gets her chance to appear on TV again this Saturday (February 24) - in hit show Gladiators.

Super-fit Nia, 38, will appear in the show's quarter final after battling her way through the heats, which were alo televised.

The married mum-of-four, who lives in the Oxford Square area of the resort, is no stranger to physical tests and fitness challenges.

She is no less than the world number one heptathlete (seven disciplines) in the 35 and over age group after triumphing in the Masters event in Italy in September.

Nia also represents Blackpool Athletics Club in pentatathlon in the Northern League.

Competing in the pentathlon's five disciplines - hurdles, high jump, long jump, shotput and the 800 metres is certainly not a challenge for the faint-hearted.

Tough auditions

Even so Nia was unsure whether she would pass the tough auditions for Gladiatirs when she went down to London in February last year.

She said: "I'm totally blind in mt left eye and I wasn't sure whether that would count against me.

"There were thousands of people interviewed and then there was a pretty rigorous fitness test down in London.

"I was really surprised they picked me!"

But Nia made it and the show was recorded back in June last year.

It is no secret that she reached the quarter finals, she has to stay tight-lipped about how she got on - so everyone will have to watch Saturday's episode to check out her progress.

She said: "It was an absolutely brilliant experience, it really is as much fun as it looks on TV.

"The Gauntlet and Travelator challnges are just so good.

"I'm glad I went for it - I definitely haven't regretted it."

What is Gladiators and when is it on?

Gladiators is currtently airing on BBC One (5.50pm, Saturdays) and BBC iPlayer.

Each episode consists of four players, known as 'contenders' – two male and two female – competing in a series of physically challenging events against the show's resident 'Gladiators', a group of elite athletes, and eventually competing in one final event.

The contenders aim to secure a place in the grand final, and ultimately be crowned champion for their respective series.