Gladiators star Comet's horror injury that left her 'nearly paralysed'

said she had to 'pick herself up' after a gruesome injury left her nearly paralysed. Comet, real name Ella-Mae Rayner, had a horrific accident on the show last year after falling 30 feet from The Wall, leaving the star and gymnast nearly paralysed.

The star ruptured three ligaments and broke her ankle and foot during the games which are filmed in Sheffield. The scenes showing her accident won't be shown to viewers. A former gymnast and cheerleader, Ella-Mae faced surgery and metal-work when she shattered her heel and is still undergoing physiotherapy but she remains positive.

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"This is one of the toughest shows on TV," she said. "The injury was really, really tough but I had the team around me and everyone was amazing."

After suffering the injury when competing as her alter-ego Comet, the athlete turned to working as an online coach, with more than 350,000 followers on .

"No gymnastics, no diving, no cheerleading," she previously said of the advice she was given after her horror injury. "Even running had a question mark."

And now, ahead of the final, the ex-cheerleader explained: "Being a Gladiator isn't just about physical challenges. There are so many mental challenges, too, and with my injury I had to pick myself back up again and go for it."

She also credited her family for their support, adding: "Most of that resilience comes from the discipline of gymnastics, which was instilled in me at a very young age, but the rest comes from my mum and my brother."

Comet continued: "Mum has given me so much support and inspiration — she's sacrificed so much to give me the best life — she helped my brother and me through that family trauma."

The star previously discussed how she felt when she was told she could no longer do any gymnastics or cheerleading.

"At that point I was told everything I loved to do was being taken away from me. It gave me the drive and motivation as I was so sick of lying around," she said.

"The gym saved me at that point and I loved it so much I put my all into it and then became an online coach."

"It is not going to stop me doing what I want to do," added the plucky Gladiator. "You are going face to face and it is contact, so injuries are part and parcel of it. Comet is here to stay.”

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