Sports star Jodie Ounsley says she is shy and only feels she can “switch on” and become a star when she transforms into Fury on BBC’s Gladiators. Jodie, 24, was the first deaf female rugby player to play for a senior England side but now wows millions more fans by taking on members of the public in the popular reboot of the Saturday night show. On what the best part about being a Gladiator is, Jodie said: “Its tackling. I love that (tackling) because I am quite shy but then when I have to go out as Fury, it’s like I have to switch into it but it’s good though because it’s just brutal and I think when people watch it on TV they think it’s just a show, but it is genuine hardcore which is the best part about it.” She added: “It’s been a big learning curve for me, again I think it’s down to personalities whereas I’m quite a shy person and quite reserved but I’ve kind of just had to push myself, obviously doing things like Gladiators or what not and pushed myself to do it, whereas for other people it would come more natural but yeah I’ve definitely had to get used to it.”.
Speaking on the Stick To Rugby podcast , Jodie also explained the interview process for Gladiators was like an "Olympic final" as everyone had to show their physical attributes. She said: "You got invited to a big trial basically and everyone came together and it was just all egos you could imagine and different people different backgrounds and then you just did like 10 different tests of like how many pull ups in a minute, tackling people, sprints, rows, all that kind of thing,.
burpees and all that. It was brutal. I tried my best but it was different because some people were just chatting and you know just taking it easy but some were acting like it was the Olympic final or something. Thankfully Jodie, who played for Premier 15s side Exeter Chiefs Women as a winger, made it through the trials and she hopes to inspire youngsters with her appearances on Gladiators. She said: “That’s what I’m passionate about, I’d love to be able to be that person but I don’t necessarily see myself as that, its very much like I’m just doing my own little thing, and it sounds cringe but I just want to be a good person for kids. So, to do that I do have to push myself and get out there.”.
Jodie also plans to triumph away from Gladiators in the bizarre World Coal Carrying Championship. She explained: "You run 1k uphill with a sack of coal on your shoulders. And then it’s basically a race from the pub to the maypole. It’s Easter Monday every year and it started between two guys who were drunk at Pub and thought do you wanna race? And they enjoyed it so much they carried it on and then it’s been going on for years and it’s just getting bigger and bigger every year.
"I’m going for it this year and I last did it when I was 16. I’ve got a weight bag and do intervals and stuff. I’m not going to win it. "You have to be a proper runner. We’ll see what happens but I’m going for it.". She also told the podcast she would be up for taking part in I'm A Celebrity in the future if she got the chance. * Jodie Ounsley was speaking on the Stick to Rugby podcast, brought to you by Defender, which you can watch via The Overlap Rugby YouTube channel.
