A Gladiators star has come under fire for promoting a brand that’s been accused of deceptively marketing body-building food supplements to children.

Bionic, real name Matty Campbell, 29, has been advertising the US brand Ghost on his Instagram account.

He has previously shared pictures of himself with the products and according to The Mirror, the athlete has offered his 25,000 followers the chance to win some for free.

The US-based brand sells fitness products such as protein powers, pre-workout supplements, and energy drinks, which are generally not recommended for children.

In December 2022, advertising watchdog group Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) and the University of Connecticut Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health filed a complaint against the company.

Campaigners alleged that the packaging for their ready-to-drink and powered beverages appeal directly to minors and blur the lines between adult and children’s products.

A Gladiators star has come under fire for promoting a brand that’s been accused of deceptively marketing body-building food supplements to children

Bionic, real name Matty Campbell, 29, has been advertising the US brand Ghost on his Instagram account

They particularly mentioned the brand’s use of licensed candy flavors, such as Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish.

According to the publication, they alleged that it ‘targets kids with deceptive and unfair marketing by, among other things, using influencers popular among children.’

Adding: ‘Consumers who see Ghost’s marketing on social media, platforms or on the company’s website are not informed, however, that these products are only intended for healthy adults.’

Speaking on Friday, Laura Smith, Legal Director at TINA.org told The Mirror that: ‘Ghost’s epic failure to prevent unwarranted health and safety risks to children renders the company’s marketing unfair, deceptive, and in violation of the FTC Act.

‘If Matty Campbell has a youth fanbase and is marketing products that are unsafe for children, then the marketing should clearly and conspicuously disclose this safety information.’

They also claimed that within weeks of their complaint being filed, Ghost removed some ‘unapproved health claims’ from it’s website, including that the products can reduce anxiety and balance hormones.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Matty and Ghost for comment. 

It comes as the rebooted version of BBC’s Gladiators, hosted by Bradley Walsh, continues to draw in millions of viewers each episode, with the second series recently kicking off. 

And fans of the hit BBC show are already buzzing with excitement over the arrival of newest Gladiator, Cyclone as they took to social media to praise her frosty atтιтude and larger-than-life presence.

The US-based brand sells fitness products such as protein powers, pre-workout supplements, and energy drinks, which are generally not recommended for children

Speaking on Friday, Laura Smith, Legal Director at TINA.org told The Mirror that: ‘Ghost’s epic failure to prevent unwarranted health and safety risks to children (Bionic pictured)

The second series of the rebooted BBC show returned to screens this month with father-and-son presenting duo Bradley, 64, (L) and Barney Walsh, 27, (R) at the helm 

Gladiators fans are already buzzing with excitement over the arrival of newest Gladiator, Cyclone as they took to social media to praise her frosty atтιтude and larger-than-life presence

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To kick off the show, father-and-son presenting duo Bradley, 64, and Barney Walsh, 27, revealed a new Gladiator would be joining the ranks of Giant, Legend, Fire, Diamond, Fury, Steel, Comet, Bionic, Electro, Phantom, Viper and Athena. 

Bradley quipped: ‘There’s a storm heading right for us, Barns, a brand new Gladiator is about to enter the arena and let me tell you, this girl is a whirlwind of destruction!’

He added: ‘Look what she’s done to my brolly’ as he showed the audience his damaged umbrella, prompting laughter.

Barney chimed in: ‘To be blown away by the awesome power of… Cyclone!’ as Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, made her highly anticipated entrance, thrilling the crowd.

Fans flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to share their excitement, with many commenting on how ‘terrifying’ Cyclone looks and how she could ‘give Legend a run for his money on the mic.’

One viewer wrote: ‘Cyclone is such a good smack talker!’; ‘Looks like Cyclone is our female bad guy this season, she got some sᴀss.’

‘You don’t want to p*** off Cyclone. She looks terrifying. Look out, everybody.’; ‘Cyclone giving Legend a run for his money on the mic.’

Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, is a 23-year-old powerlifter from Ireland.

After the announcement that she’d be joining the second series, she said: ‘I’ve got the look, I’ve got the energy, and I’ve got the muscles.’

The new Gladiator regularly shares videos from her intense workouts, alongside several glamorous sH๏τs, on her profile.