Jodie Ounsley’s Gladiator Alter-Ego Fury Honors Her Late Dad

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Eighteen years prior, Phil Ounsley constructed a play area in his Yorkshire garage to support his daughter’s athletic ambitions.

It wasn’t only about DIY workouts with gym rings and obstacles, but also a father’s heartfelt message to his seven-year-old daughter, who had been watching him participate in the popular TV competition.Gladiators.

That girl, Jodie Ounsley, is now a Gladiator in her own right – also known as Fury– one of the celebrities of theBBCThe 2024 revival of the popular primetime show where regular participants face off against top-tier Gladiators in intense challenges, culminating in the final Eliminator obstacle course.

For Fury, Gladiators has always represented a personal heritage. “My father was a competitor on the original show,” she explains. “He had served as a police officer for 30 years and became known as ‘The Yorkshire Police Officer.'”

I was present at the live performances, observing him competing against everyone. I recall it as if it happened just yesterday.

When I began my journey with Gladiators, we laughed about how strange it was, how situations can change because there he was in the crowd watching me as a Gladiator. That’s why it means so much more to me than just a television show.

Unfortunately, Jodie’s cherished father, a skilled mixed martial arts practitioner,passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56 while walking along Pen-y-ghent in Yorkshire last November. 

For Jodie, the deep appreciation and happiness stemming from her father’s constant support ease her sorrow.

Even at 56, he was still my top training partner,” she says. “I always felt he was proud of me, and I want to keep making him proud.

As a family, my mother and younger brother believe we need to make the most of life right now for Dad.

Gladiators provided all that he cherished; the show keeps us motivated.

Jodie has always had a strong athletic streak, but for Phil, sports were a daily routine. “I was constantly climbing trees, play fighting, or wrestling with him,” she recalls.

Reflecting back, I was essentially preparing to be a Gladiator without realizing it. When people discuss him, they describe him as humble yet fierce.

A fierce athlete who never acted like a celebrity.

It doesn’t take long to understand that Jodie has acquired the same equilibrium.

Born profoundly deaf, Jodie received a cochlear implant as an infant, yet her condition did not stop her from making history as the first deaf woman to represent a senior England rugby team. She earned her first cap with the England Sevens in 2019.

She is also a British Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion and has wonThe award for Deaf Sports Person of the Year in 2020.

She is now gaining recognition in the mainstream entertainment industry, having participated in Celebrity MasterChef and the Strictly Christmas Special last month.

She states her deafness in a straightforward manner. “We believe it was because I was born prematurely.”

I became very sick and was given medicine, which we believe led to my loss of hearing. However, to me, I have been deaf since birth and that is all I have ever known.

Her parents were resolved not to let it shape her life. ‘They arranged for a cochlear implant,Sent me to a conventional school and concentrated on my speech.,” says Fury, who is now 25.

I received the implant when I was 14 months old, but I had already started speech therapy at three months and was undergoing rehabilitation to develop eye contact and focus.

Her initial surge of excitement occurred when she was three years old, as she watched her father train in the garden for the World Coal Carrying Championships, a competition she eventually took part in herself.

“I went on to win it five times throughout the years. That ignited my passion for excitement and competition,” she says.

Her first love for rugby started as a challenge she needed to conquer.

When I went to see my younger brother play, I thought, ‘I want to try this,’ but I never expected to be able to participate because I have a cochlear implant and contact sports are off-limits due to the potential dangers.

It was a lengthy process to discover solutions – supported by parents who stood by her – until she ultimately reached her first session wearing boots and a white headguard.

But just as she was about to begin, she was seized by fear. “I said, ‘Dad, I can’t leave the car. Can we go home instead?'”

But in the most polite manner, my father, being a Yorkshireman, said, “You’re not taking me all this way just for you to say you’re not going through with it.”

If I hadn’t exited the vehicle, I would have never played rugby for England or joined the Gladiators.

It was rugby that made her face the daily challenges of being deaf in a sport that relies heavily on sound and quick communication.

It was certainly a major obstacle to deal with, particularly when everyone was running everywhere and shouting.

She ignored the whistles and continued. “I used to run the entire field, thinking I was going to score a try, when the referee had already blown the whistle!”

Once, a referee thought I was disregarding him, so he issued me a yellow card. He wasn’t aware I was deaf until I clarified, and after that, I made sure to inform every referee before each match.

Jodie was at an England rugby camp when the Gladiators revival was announced, and her participation started as a family joke.

Me and my family were joking about having to sit down and watch it again.” Then another joke came along—one that would change her life entirely. “They said, ‘Why don’t you give it a try and see what happens?’

Jodie had already spent an entire lifetime discovering methods to bypass what most individuals would consider an obstacle, so the Gladiators were merely another challenge to be conquered.

It serves as a reminder that the self-assurance seen in Fury on television stems from years of strict dedication.

Her powerful, clearly enunciated Yorkshire accent serves as a key example of her being completely deaf.

People often ask, ‘How can you speak with a Yorkshire accent if you’re completely deaf?’ She explains, ‘It’s because I’ve been observing people’s mouths and how they move since I was very young.’

Each accent has a unique lip movement. That’s why I’ve naturally developed a Yorkshire accent by watching my mom and dad’s lips.

But her greatest challenge was believing in herself. “Even during my teenage years, I really had trouble with self-confidence. It was my mom and dad who constantly told me, ‘You can do it.’ Without them, I don’t think I would have come anywhere near where I am today.”

Relocating to London, after securing her first professional rugby deal at the age of 18, marked a significant change.

“That’s when I had to push myself out of my comfort zone,” she remembers.

“I couldn’t even talk to people. That’s how shy and anxious I was.” She handles her anxiety by changing her perspective, a technique she picked up after meeting Sir Linford Christie at a track and field event.

“He mentioned that nerves are beneficial because it shows you care about what you’re about to do,” she says.

She thinks the show “Gladiators” succeeds because it offers genuine lessons. It’s not merely about physical power, but also about perseverance and fair play. ‘It’s extremely challenging, particularly for the participants, both mentally and physically.’

And she didn’t fully grasp what it meant to be a deaf Gladiator until the show was released and the reaction came to her.

Now she serves as a role model and a major source of inspiration. ‘After the show was released, it completely amazed me.’

Educators, organizations supporting the deaf community, parents, and children all contacted me. I become emotional upon reading the messages.

Watching Fury on television makes deaf individuals feel truly represented. I’m thrilled that children can look at me and think, “I want to be like that person when I grow up.”

She views her deafness as a factor that has influenced her personality. ‘I believe it has definitely made me more open. I can truly empathize and I have a strong desire to assist others.’

And similar to many top performers, she has learned that strength doesn’t always mean pushing forward.

In the case of Fury, there is a particular fatigue that hearing individuals do not encounter.

Because you are deeply deaf, you experience listening exhaustion from watching people’s lips for extended periods.

She mentions there was a time last year when she understood she needed to take a step back.

‘Rather than simply turning it on, I realized I needed to be truthful with those nearby and say, “I’m having a tough time. I need to take a break and refresh myself.”

I took a three-week break. I felt like I had to keep going, but it was truly the best decision I made.

On the Gladiators set, her hearing loss necessitates practical modifications through visual signals and written directions.

They communicate using hand signals to indicate stopping and starting. However, there is so much encouragement that I can simply be myself.

The program has expanded her horizons beyond rugby and into the realm of entertainment. “If an opportunity arises, just give it your all,” she states.

Just as with my father, I want people to say, ‘She’s very humble – but don’t cross her!’

Gladiators begins on Saturday at 5:45 pm on BBC One and can be watched online via iPlayer.

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