James Crossley

James Crossley was born on June 12, 1973, in York, England, UK. He became widely known for his role as ‘Hunter’ in the British sports entertainment series Gladiators, which he joined in 1993 and remained a part of until its final episode on January 1, 2000. During his time on Gladiators, Crossley was recognized as a formidable competitor, ultimately earning the title of ‘The Ultimate Gladiator’ after winning ‘The Battle Of The Giants’ special in the show’s penultimate episode. His physical prowess and competitive spirit established him as a significant figure in 1990s television.

Following his success on Gladiators, Crossley diversified his career. He appeared in various theatre productions, including Sir Peter Hall’s Shakespeare production of ‘As You Like It.’ In 2008, he returned to the Gladiators format for the Sky reboot, participating in a ‘legends’ special and hosting online content that included interviews with the new generation of Gladiators. Demonstrating his continued commitment to physical challenges, in May 2018, Crossley broke the world record for lifting the Dinnie Stones, holding them for 34.58 seconds. He also released a fitness DVD in 2018, targeting individuals over 40.

More recently, Crossley has embraced new interests, transitioning into the fields of music and sound healing. As of 2021, he works as a musician, specializing in handpan, gongs, and other percussion instruments. He founded Sound Healing Teacher Training, a school in SW London that certifies gong bath practitioners, and in 2024, he opened the London Handpan Academy to provide instruction on playing the handpan. In 2021, he also participated in the third series of the Channel 4 reality show ‘The Circle,’ playing a catfish persona to raise awareness for the NHS.