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Dundee Gladiators star Sheli McCoy shares throwback picture before transforming her life through fitness

“I became very unhappy and unhealthy in a terrible relationship that ended very traumatically and I gained a lot of weight."

Sheli McCoy appears as Sabre in the Gladiators reboot
Dundee Gladiators star Sheli McCoy. Image: BBC/James Stack/Hungry Bear Media Ltd

Dundee Gladiators star Sheli McCoy has shared a throwback picture with fans and revealed how fitness transformed her life.

The 35-year-old, who runs the SweatBox gym on Camperdown Road, has caught the nation’s attention as Sabre in the relaunched series of the hit TV show.

She held a Q&A with her 113,000 Instagram followers on Monday night as they asked her about her life and career.

One fan posted: “How many years has it taken to get your physique? Do you have a before picture?”

Sheli shared a picture from 2012, saying she was four dress sizes bigger than she is now, alongside a photo of her competing in a competition in France in 2018 after her fitness journey.

Sheli shared a before and after image with her followers
The gym owner revealed before and after pictures during the Q&A. Image: Sheli McCoy/Instagram

She told her followers: “I became very unhappy and unhealthy in a terrible relationship that ended very traumatically and I gained a lot of weight.

“I promised myself I would do better, be better and become a role model and a leader, to make myself and others proud and that’s what I feel I have done.”

She revealed that regular CrossFit and Olympic-standard weightlifting sessions, as well as a good night’s sleep, help her maintain her physique.

Sheli McCoy reveals how she was ‘headhunted’ to become a Gladiator

Sheli also took the opportunity to answer questions about being a Gladiator.

Asked how she ended up on the show, she said: “I was found, headhunted and went through a challenging testing routine.”

Another person asked: “What’s the key to beating Sabre, are there any hidden weaknesses?”

Sheli answered: “No idea, it’s never happened. One of life’s mysteries.”

Sheli McCoy as Sabre in Gladiators
Sheli has impressed viewers in her role as Sabre. Image: BBC iPlayer

On Tuesday, the BBC revealed that about 8.7 million people have watched the first episode of the Gladiators reboot on BBC One and iPlayer.

That represents the biggest launch for a new entertainment series in the UK for seven years.

Before the series premiered, Sheli revealed that watching Gladiators with her parents as a kid inspired her to take on the role.

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