Gladiators star Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, has revealed what Queen Camilla said to him during a recent visit to Buckingham Palace.
Nitro featured alongside Tom Wilson on Monday’s BBC Morning Live, presented by Helen Skelton, 41, and Gordon Smart, 44.
Gladiators, presented by Bradley and Barney Walsh, sees contestants take on the super humans in a bid to win points.
And Nitro visited Buckingham Palace last week for the BBC 500 Words compeтιтion final hosted by Queen Camilla.
Instead of wearing a smart suit for the regal occasion, Harry arrived rather scantily clad in his blue and red unitard.
Gladiators star Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, pictured, revealed what the Queen said to him when he visited Buckingham Palace last week
Nitro featured alongside Tom Wilson, left, on Monday’s BBC Morning Live, presented by Helen Skelton, 41, and Gordon Smart, 44
Harry visited Buckingham Palace last week for the BBC 500 Words compeтιтion final hosted by Queen Camilla, pictured
‘But you met Her Majesty, the Queen … some people might’ve said a suit,’ Helen said laughing.
Harry responded: ‘History was made in the Palace that day, Nitro was in his lycra, I don’t think the Palace had ever seen such amazing lycra in its life.
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‘It was amazing and the Queen was such a pleasure to be around, it was one of those things that, it’s a bit surreal because it felt like a dream but it was a good one.’
Helen asked: ‘Did she have any questions about the show?’
Harry revealed on the show how the Queen had asked if he was cold.
‘To be honest she was actually more concerned about my well being, she checked to see if I was too cold, she was like ‘Should we put the heating on for you?’ That’s one of the main things she said,’ Harry quipped.
On the day, the Gladiator was introduced to the Queen, ‘This is Harry, but you night know him as Gladiator Nitro.’
‘It’s so lovely to meet you,’ he said, with a small bow.
‘The children were so thrilled to be escorted off by a Gladiator,’ said Camilla, who seemed to have a rudimentary knowledge of the popular BBC programme – referring to how the compeтιтion’s winners were walked back to their seats by himself and colleague, Fire.
Helen laughed when she enquired why Nitro hadn’t worn a suit to the event
Nitro, second right, revealed how the Queen had asked him if he was cold
Fire – real name Montell Douglas – told the Queen ‘it’s such an honour to be here’ and that ‘today was just about the children’ after Camilla remarked: ‘How are you managing to keep it going?
‘You must be black and blue.’
Nitro and Fire both returned for the second series of the recently rebooted Gladiators in January, alongside the likes of Giant, Legend, Diamond, Fury, Steel, Comet, Bionic, Electro, Viper, and Athena.
However, fan-favourite Nitro was forced to quit the compeтιтion mid-season after the ex-Olympian sustained a knee injury during training.
During the reception last week, the beloved Gladiator revealed the event was the second time he had been invited to the Palace.
The former athlete was asked to meet Queen Elizabeth II after he became a British sprinting Olympian and member of Team GB at the European and World Championships.
He said: ‘I met the late Queen as Harry here in this room. I was invited here in 2010-ish to highlight my achievements on behalf of the ethnic minorities.’
He joked that he was slightly differently dressed then and ‘had a few more clothes on’.
Nitro continued: ‘To be fair I did come [this time] dressed correctly and once I got here they told me [to put on his shorts and singlet]. I thought gosh, surely I must be the least dressed man in this room. I’ve added to the history.’
The Queen, however, didn’t ‘even blink’ when she saw him.
Queen Camilla was hosting the finals of the BBC 500 Words compeтιтion for young writers on Wednesday, February 26, when she was introduced to the scantily-clad Gladiators Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, centre, and his co-star Montell Douglas, right
On the day, the Gladiator was introduced to the Queen , ‘This is Harry, but you night know him as Gladiator Nitro.’
During the reception last week, the beloved Gladiator revealed the event was the second time he had been invited to the Palace
He said: ‘She wasn’t surprised. I guess it’s 2025 and we are welcoming all sorts into the house!’
The BBC star echoed Fire when he shared that it had been an ‘honour’ to get the chance to be a part of the event, before adding he reads as much as he can with his own four-year-old daughter.
‘Hearing their words and stories put together, and from such young minds being able to achieve this. It just goes to show that we are limitless,’ Nitro praised the finalists of the writing compeтιтion.
‘Reading and writing is a superpower,’ Nitro, whose own superpower is his lightning-fast speed and agility, concluded.