In an unexpected twist, Diane Youdale, renowned for her role as Jet on the hit series Gladiators, has recently unveiled an exciting update on her love life. Diane, 53, was pleasantly surprised when Zoe, 49, approached her in Tesco, initiating a whirlwind romance that has swiftly led to up-and coming wedding bells.
Following her Gladiator days, Diane embarked on a fresh journey as a psychologist. Swapping the physical duels of the show for the mental health sphere, she utilised her Gladiator-honed resilience to aid others in their personal struggles.
Diane detailed the blossoming of their romance, from an unexpected meeting to a date, eventually leading to a swift proposal only four months into their relationship.
Sharing her story with The Sun, Diane said, “She came up to me and said, ‘I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen’ and I was like ‘Wow, thank you ‘and she said, ‘Are you single?’ I knew in my heart I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life, and I proposed. It wasn’t very theatrical, I probably should have gone back to Tesco’s and made a spectacle of it. But I ended up popping the question in our kitchen. I said, ‘I know we are going to be together forever so why don’t we make it ¬official — let’s get married’.”
Their relationship came to the public’s attention a year ago and they’ve been inseparable since. The couple recently appeared on the Chillin’ with Ice podcast, hosted by Lori Fetrick, better known as Ice from the American Gladiators show. Diane, on her blossoming love life, proclaimed, “We are what we are. It doesn’t matter. And I don’t give a damn. I’m safe and I’m loved and there’s no threat to me anymore and that’s what means the world to me.”
Before Zoe, Diane’s love life saw her in relationships with James Crossley, known in the Gladiators universe as Hunter, and her seven-year marriage to TV executive George Mayhew, which ended on friendly terms.
Diane was an integral fixture in Gladiators from 1992 until 1996, when a severe neck injury compelled her to step back. Although the show concluded in 2000, fans can eagerly anticipate a reboot, hosted by the charismatic Bradley and Barney Walsh, due to air on the BBC later this year. Keep your eyes peeled!