Eddie Hall is promising chaos, muscle, and more than a few unexpected twists when Battle of the Beasts hits our screens.
Hall, the 2017 World’s Strongest Man and first man to deadlift 500kg, has been in Malta filming the new sports-entertainment series alongside some of the biggest names in strongman.
Speaking in a recent video shared to his YouTube channel, Hall teased big things for the reality show – including a surprise contestant!
“It’s going to be on a big streaming platform very soon,” Hall said. “But the competition is looking pretty good. We’ve got 12 athletes — mainly from strongman — and we’ve got a surprise contestant. You’ll have to wait till you see it on the big streaming platform.”
He added: “I’m really happy. The production is massive — we’re talking over seven figures for production. This could be the next big thing for strongman, it could really transform it. Take it to the masses. So keep your eyes peeled.”
The show is being filmed live on the island, with its Roman heritage and Gladiator backdrops providing what Hall calls the “perfect setting.” “It’s very Roman Empire and the Gladiator film set is here, so it’s just the perfect backdrop for anything to do with beasts,” he said in an interview with Times of Malta.
Battle of the Beasts is designed to reinvent the strongman format, mixing traditional contests like log lifts and stone carries with curveball spectacles — sumo wrestling, belly flop contests, and food showdowns included. Hall, who once consumed 12,000–15,000 calories a day at his peak, is no stranger to eating challenges. But even he met his match in Malta when he sat down with four-time World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw and TikTok star Big John Fisher, known for his booming “Bosh!” catchphrase, to see who could eat the most Maltese pastizzis in 15 minutes.
The result was a dead heat between Hall and Shaw, who managed 10 each. Big John gave it a valiant shot but admitted his strength was stamina rather than speed.
Fisher will feature on the show as the celebrity judge of the belly flop competition, while Shaw is co-hosting several strength events alongside Hall. Alongside Hall, the show will also be co-hosted by Leah Shutkever, the 40-time Guinness World Record holder and one of the world’s most dominant competitive eaters. Her records range from demolishing burritos to devouring a Chocolate Orange in record time. Shutkever will be overseeing the eating challenge.
Tommy Fury, Olivier Richters, Denise Kim Gafa, Neil Agius, Matt Hookings, and more will also be stopping by to help judge the competition.
Fans were especially glad to see Shaw looking well and enjoying himself after his recent health scare. The American legend has been receiving stem cell treatment following a serious bout of cellulitis that saw him hospitalised on his wedding anniversary earlier this year. His competitive spirit and smile in Malta were warmly received.
Hall has spoken openly about wanting to refresh the strongman scene, which he felt had become “a little bit flat.” He explained: “It’s just the same events regurgitated over and over, so I thought it needed reinventing.”
The athlete roster includes reigning World’s Strongest Man Rayno Nel, three-time winner Tom Stoltman, Canadian powerhouse Mitchell Hooper, Wales’ Gavin Bilton, U.S. stars Evan Singleton and Trey Mitchell, plus British veterans Terry Hollands and Mark Felix. Rising names like Paddy Haynes and Flex Lewis add even more intrigue to a stacked lineup.
For Hall, Malta has quickly become more than just a set. “I had a couple of weeks out here last year working with the Malta Tourism Authority. I saw the whole island and just fell in love with it; the people, the culture and the sightseeing,” he said. “The pastizzi? They are amazing.”
Now, with filming underway, Hall’s vision is coming to life: a global sports spectacle backed by Camelot Films, Visit Malta, and Duelbits, directed by Roel Reiné and pitched as a multi-million production. Or, as Hall himself put it: “This could be the next big thing for strongman.”
If the pastizzi challenge is anything to go by, Battle of the Beasts will be a wild ride — one part strength sport, one part spectacle, and all chaos.
Featured image credit: Instagram/EddieHallWSM (Screenshot)
