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Gladiators star hopes school visit will inspire pupils

BBC Gladiator Steel standing with his hands on his hips wearing his costume from the television showBBC
Gladiator Steel said he used to be overweight as a child and now hopes to inspire others

Television gladiator Steel has said he hopes to show young people "anything is possible" after he paid a visit to a school in Leicestershire.

Steel, whose real name is Zack George, is originally from Leicester and dropped into The Fusion Academy, a special school in Barwell on Monday 11 November as part of a tour for BBC Children in Need's appeal week.

The gladiator, who has previously said he was overweight as a child, gave pupils a "movement masterclass" - a health and wellbeing workshop.

And he said he hopes his own fitness journey could provide a source of inspiration to the children.

A picture of a group of pupils at The Fusion Academy in Barwell, Leicestershire with Pudsey the bear and BBC Gladiator star Steel.
Steel, whose real name is Zack George, visited The Fusion Academy in Barwell Leicesteshire

Steel, now 34, said he was 13 when he decided he wanted to "turn his life around".

"When I was a kid I did not like exercise, I had a bad diet and low confidence, low self-esteem," he said.

"My message is really important because it shows the kids that anything is possible. A lot of kids think that we've been superheroes all our lives."

He added pupils were in disbelief when he showed them a photograph of his old self.

"Seeing the smiles on the kids' faces - it's been amazing," he said.

As part of the masterclass, The Fusion Academy pupils created their own Gladiator characters, complete with a signature stance.

Steel's visit to Barwell on Monday was the first of eight to different schools across the country in aid of BBC Children in Need.

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