Holly Willoughby’s husband, a TV magnate, has already reaped the benefits of a lucrative BBC contract to produce the updated Gladiators.

Producer Dan Baldwin has devised a method to capitalize on the Saturday-night favorite’s success by forming a talent agency that will represent nearly all of the show’s rising stars.

At least 12 of the 16 Gladiators have chosen to join his agency, Hungry Bear Talent, entitling him to a portion of their future earnings as they grow to notoriety following their BBC appearance.

Those on his books include heartthrob Alex Gray, also known as Apollo on the show, Crossfit champion Emily Steele, who is Dynamite, Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who is Nitro, and 6ft 5in Jamie Christian Johal, called Giant.

One television insider told The Mail on Sunday, ‘What a great commercial choice. Dan created the relaunch with his firm, sold it to the BBC for a large sum of money, and has now shrewdly signed some of the show’s most popular young performers. Whatever they produce now, he will receive additional funds through the management firm. Some may say that’s a touch greedy. Dan is not meant to use the BBC as a shop window to make money.

Baldwin, 48, founded the talent agency this year after signing a deal with the BBC to remake Gladiators, which originally broadcast on ITV 24 years ago.

Baldwin is one of the most sought-after television producers in the UK, having started his career on the children’s ITV show Ministry Of Mayhem in the early 2000s, which Ms Willoughby co-hosted.

The pair married in a beautiful wedding at Amberley Castle in West Sussex in 2007, and they now have three children together.