Ben Fordham, Freddie Flintoff join Australian Ninja Warrior 2017

The Nine Network has announced that Ben Fordham and Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff are joining the adrenaline-charged competition series Australian Ninja Warrior, ahead of its debut season in 2017.

Fordham joins the heart-pounding sport and entertainment series as a commentator and co-host alongside Rebecca Maddern.

A Walkley Award-winning journalist, Fordham is enjoying a prolific media career. Widely known for his time on the Today show and Today Extra, he now hosts the top-rating drive radio program on 2GB.

“I don’t know what to expect but that’s the exciting part. Ninja Warrior is one of the biggest shows ever produced in Australia, so I’m looking forward to being part of it. My godsons are nuts for the show and threatened to disown me if I said no to the opportunity to be involved,” Fordham said.

Nine’s head of content, production and development Adrian Swift is delighted to have two more big names joining Australian Ninja Warrior.

“With Ben and Freddie joining the team alongside Bec there’s a great sense of anticipation here at Nine for this dynamic show. We feel confident that ANW will allow inspiring Australian athletes to test their abilities on the world’s toughest obstacle course and provide captivating television for our audiences,” Swift said.

“Ben is someone we know well at Nine – he’s part of the family. And we welcome Freddie, who we have met over the years through his involvement with English cricket.”

Production on Australian Ninja Warrior commences in December and the program will premiere on Nine in the second half of 2017.