Sheli McCoy is a Scottish athlete, businesswoman and television personality best known as Sabre on the BBC’s Gladiators. Before becoming a familiar face on Saturday-night television, she built a career in competitive weightlifting and CrossFit, earning Scottish championship titles and setting national records. Alongside her television work, she co-owns a fitness business in Dundee and works in the sports and fitness industry.
Her growing public profile has also brought interest in her personal life, particularly questions about Sheli McCoy’s partner, relationships and background. Here is a closer look at her journey, sporting achievements and life beyond the Gladiators arena.
Who Is Sheli McCoy?
Sheli McCoy is a British weightlifter, CrossFit athlete and television personality from Dundee, Scotland. She became widely recognised after joining the BBC’s revived Gladiators series in 2024, where she competes under the name Sabre.
Her Gladiators character reflects her sporting background. Known for her strength, speed and competitive attitude, she brings years of athletic experience to the programme.
McCoy is also a fitness business owner and qualified sports rehabilitation therapist. Her work extends beyond television, combining athletic training, coaching and business responsibilities.
Sheli McCoy’s Age and Early Life
Sheli McCoy was born on 10 July 1988, making her 38 years old in November 2026. Although she has connections to Dundee, her background also includes time in Fife, where she attended school.
She studied at Ceres Primary School before moving on to Bell Baxter High School in Cupar. Her interest in fitness and competitive sport developed into a professional sporting career.
Growing up, McCoy was inspired by the original Gladiators television programme. Years later, she would become part of its modern revival, taking on the role of one of its strongest female competitors.
Education and Qualifications
Education has played a part in McCoy’s professional development. She graduated from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen with a master’s degree.
Alongside her academic background, she developed qualifications and experience in sports rehabilitation, personal training and CrossFit coaching.
These skills have helped her build a career that combines competitive athletics with supporting other people in their fitness journeys.
Sheli McCoy’s Weightlifting and CrossFit Career
Before television brought her wider recognition, McCoy had already established herself as a competitive athlete.
She competed in five British Weightlifting Championships and took part in international CrossFit competitions. Her achievements include becoming Scottish champion in both weightlifting and CrossFit.
One of her notable sporting milestones came at the 2023 Scottish Weightlifting Championships, where she set three Scottish records in Olympic weightlifting.
She continued to demonstrate her ability at the 2024 Scottish Championships, setting six new national records.
Her competitive background also includes participation in the 2025 World Championships. These achievements help explain why she was a natural choice for a physically demanding television programme such as Gladiators.
How Sheli McCoy Became Sabre on Gladiators
McCoy joined the BBC revival of Gladiators in 2024 as Sabre. The programme brought back the popular sporting entertainment format, introducing a new generation of athletes to television audiences.
Her strength and competitive experience made her well suited to the role. Sabre is presented as energetic, athletic and fiercely competitive, qualities that reflect McCoy’s background in weightlifting and CrossFit.
The opportunity also had personal significance. She had watched the original Gladiators as a child and admired the strong female athletes featured in the programme.
Her television work has since expanded beyond the arena. She appeared on The Weakest Link and Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, giving viewers an opportunity to see a different side of her personality.
Sheli McCoy’s Gym and Business Career
Outside television, McCoy has built a career in the fitness industry. She is a director of SweatBox Dundee Limited, the company behind her fitness business in Dundee.
Her work includes personal training, coaching and supporting people interested in strength training and CrossFit.
She has also been associated with Scottish weightlifting through her involvement with Weightlifting Scotland.
Running a fitness business while maintaining the demands of competitive sport and television requires considerable commitment. Her professional life therefore extends well beyond her role as Sabre.
Sheli McCoy Partner: Is Sheli McCoy in a Relationship?
Sheli McCoy’s relationship status has attracted attention since she became a familiar face on Gladiators. However, she has not publicly established a current partner’s identity, so it would be misleading to describe her as married or in a confirmed relationship.
In an interview reported in 2025, McCoy responded to a social media question asking whether she was single. She made it clear that she disliked strangers approaching her online to ask about her dating life.
Her response showed that she prefers to keep this part of her life private. Consequently, there is no verified basis for naming a husband or boyfriend.
Rather than allowing speculation to define her personal life, McCoy has continued to focus publicly on her sporting career, television appearances and business activities.
Television Appearances and Recognition
Although Gladiators remains her best-known television role, McCoy has appeared in several other programmes.
Her television appearances include:
- Gladiators – as Sabre from 2024.
- The Weakest Link – alongside fellow Gladiators.
- Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel – as a celebrity expert.
- Comic Relief – as part of the BBC’s charity entertainment programming.
- The Celebrity Apprentice – announced as a contestant in 2026.
Her selection for the 2026 series of The Celebrity Apprentice marked another opportunity to demonstrate her business skills outside the sporting arena.
The programme brings together well-known personalities for business challenges, with the winning contestant competing for a £100,000 charity donation.
What Is Sheli McCoy Doing Now?
As of November 2026, McCoy continues to be associated with Gladiators and her fitness business in Dundee. Her appearance in The Celebrity Apprentice also represents a new chapter in her television career.
She remains connected to competitive sport, strength training and fitness coaching. Her professional interests bring together several areas she has developed over the years, from weightlifting and CrossFit to television and entrepreneurship.
Conclusion
Sheli McCoy has built a career that goes well beyond her television identity as Sabre. Her achievements in weightlifting and CrossFit, academic background and work in the fitness industry demonstrate the experience behind her Gladiators role.
Although questions about Sheli McCoy’s partner continue to attract attention, she keeps her dating life private. Her sporting achievements, business ventures and growing television career remain the most established parts of her public profile.
