Jodie Ounsley: Deaf Gladiator, Rugby Star & Author

There aren’t many people who can say they’ve sprinted for Great Britain, played rugby for England, and then stepped onto a BBC gameshow as a character called Fury. Jodie Ounsley has done all of that—while being profoundly deaf from birth. Her story isn’t just about athletic versatility; it’s about redefining what’s possible when you don’t hear the crowd.

Born: 17 January 2001 ·
Birthplace: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire ·
Known as: Fury (Gladiators) ·
Profession: TV personality, sports commentator, author, ex-rugby player ·
Deafness: Profoundly deaf from birth ·
Notable for: First deaf Gladiator, England rugby sevens player

Six key facts that define Jodie Ounsley’s profile at a glance:

Is Jodie Ounsley deaf?

Understanding Jodie’s profound deafness

• Jodie Ounsley was born profoundly deaf, confirmed by the Elizabeth Foundation, a charity supporting deaf children. She is completely deaf in both ears and wears a cochlear implant.
• She received the implant at 14 months old, making her one of the youngest recipients in the UK at the time (ITV Lorraine segment).
• Her parents enrolled her at the Elizabeth Foundation from age three months, and she transitioned to mainstream school at four-and-a-half (The Elizabeth Foundation).

How she communicates and uses hearing aids

• Jodie communicates using lip-reading and has some British Sign Language (ITV Lorraine segment).
• She wears a cochlear implant and bilateral hearing aids in daily life.
• On Gladiators, her hearing aids are integrated into her costume—a deliberate production choice to normalize deaf representation on mainstream TV.

Impact on her athletic career

• Deafness did not prevent her from playing rugby at the highest level. She became the first deaf female rugby player to represent a senior England side (Champions Speakers).
• She also won gold in the 100m at the European Deaf Athletics Championships in 2012 (Champions Speakers).
• Her multi-sport background shows a pattern of refusing to let deafness define her capabilities.

The implication: Jodie Ounsley’s deafness is not a footnote—it’s a central part of her identity that she has turned into a platform for representation. She wasn’t a deaf athlete who “overcame” her disability; she is an elite athlete who happens to be deaf, and she uses that perspective to inspire others.

How old is Jodie Ounsley?

Birthdate and early life

• Born 17 January 2001 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England (Champions Speakers).
• She turned 24 in January 2025.

Age at key milestones

• 14 months: Received cochlear implant.
• 11: Won gold at European Deaf Athletics Championships (2012).
• 18–19: Played for Exeter Chiefs Women and England 7s.
• 23: Debuted as Fury on BBC’s Gladiators (2024).

What this means: Jodie’s timeline shows extraordinary achievements at a young age—by 24 she had already competed in three different sports at an elite level, appeared on national TV, and written a children’s book. Her career velocity is unusual even among professional athletes.

What is Jodie Ounsley’s background?

Childhood and education

• Grew up in West Yorkshire, attended mainstream school after early support from the Elizabeth Foundation.
• Completed a diploma in Sports Coaching with distinction in 2015 (Champions Speakers).
• Her parents fostered her love for sport early, teaching her that deafness was no barrier.

Rugby career: from Exeter Chiefs to England 7s

• Played as a winger for Exeter Chiefs Women in the Premier 15s (Champions Speakers).
• Became the first deaf female to play for a senior England rugby side (Exeter Chiefs Women, which is part of the England Rugby pathway).
• Represented England in Rugby Sevens, described as the world’s first deaf female rugby sevens international (Leaders in Sport).
• Also represented Great Britain in sprinting and jiu-jitsu (Champions Speakers).

Transition to television: Gladiators and beyond

• Cast as Fury in the 2024 BBC One reboot of Gladiators (Champions Speakers).
• Her character name “Fury” reflects her intense athletic persona.
• Also works as a sports commentator, covering rugby and other events.

Children’s book author

• Wrote a children’s book, though details of title and publication are still emerging.
• The book aims to inspire young readers with messages about resilience and deaf pride.

The catch: Jodie’s background is so varied that it can be hard to categorize her. She’s not just a former rugby player who went into TV; she’s a deaf sport pioneer who leveraged her platform to write books and commentate. That breadth is both her strength and a challenge to media that likes neat labels.

What happened to Phil Ounsley?

Who was Phil Ounsley?

• Phil Ounsley was Jodie’s father, known online as “Big Phil Gets Fit” (BBC News, a public service broadcaster).
• He was a fitness influencer who documented his weight loss journey and inspired many on social media.
• His transformation story was widely followed in the UK fitness community.

His fitness journey and online presence

• Phil lost a significant amount of weight through diet and exercise, sharing regular updates on Instagram and other platforms.
• He often featured Jodie in his posts, celebrating her sporting achievements.
• His profile grew as Jodie’s fame increased, but he maintained his own identity as a motivational figure.

Death and Jodie’s tribute

• Phil Ounsley died unexpectedly in 2025. The exact date and cause have not been publicly confirmed.
• Jodie expressed her heartbreak in an emotional social media post, paying tribute to her “hero” and “best friend” (BBC News).
• The tragedy has added a deeply personal layer to Jodie’s public story, and she has spoken about the difficulty of grieving while in the spotlight.

The trade-off: Phil’s death brought an outpouring of public sympathy, but it also forced Jodie to navigate grief in the public eye. For a young woman already managing a high-profile career and deaf identity, this loss has been an additional weight.

What rugby teams did Jodie Ounsley play for?

Club career: Exeter Chiefs

• Played as a winger for Exeter Chiefs Women in the Premier 15s (Champions Speakers).
• Her signing was a landmark for deaf inclusion in elite club rugby.

International: England 7s

• Represented England in Rugby Sevens, making her the first deaf female international in the sport (The Elizabeth Foundation).
• She also represented Great Britain in sevens, sprinting, and jiu-jitsu (Champions Speakers).

Injuries and retirement from rugby

• Retired from rugby due to a shoulder injury and disillusionment with the system (Leaders in Sport).
• Despite her early promise, she felt the rugby environment wasn’t supportive enough for a deaf athlete in the long term.
• Her exit opened the door to her television career on Gladiators.

Why this matters: Jodie’s rugby journey was short but historic. She proved that a profoundly deaf player could compete at the highest level, but the sport’s infrastructure wasn’t ready to sustain her. Her pivot to TV is a win for representation, but a loss for rugby’s inclusivity ambitions.

Clarity breakdown: what we know for sure and what’s still fuzzy

Voices on Jodie Ounsley

“There weren’t many girls like me at the time.”

Jodie Ounsley, reflecting on her early rugby career in a Guardian interview, a leading UK newspaper

“She is an inspiration to deaf children everywhere.”

The Elizabeth Foundation, in a profile on their website

“My hero. My best friend. I’m absolutely heartbroken.”

Jodie Ounsley, on her father’s death, as reported by BBC News

“To go from that environment to being the first deaf Gladiator is just incredible.”

A BBC spokesperson, quoted in coverage of the Gladiators reboot

Jodie Ounsley’s story is still being written. At 24, she has already broken barriers in elite sport, television, and publishing—while navigating profound deafness and personal tragedy. For anyone wondering whether a deaf person can be a mainstream sports star and TV personality, her answer is as clear as her sprint times: yes, and then some.

For the UK’s deaf community, Jodie Ounsley’s trajectory offers a concrete example of what’s possible when barriers are removed. For broadcasters, the lesson is that inclusive casting adds depth, not just diversity. For the next generation of deaf athletes, the choice is no longer whether to enter the arena—but which arena to conquer first.

Related reading

• Peter Crouch: Podcast, Net Worth, Family & Health Scare – Another UK sports star who transitioned from elite competition to media fame.
• Eddie Hall vs Mariusz Pudzianowski: Fight Result and Video – A multi-sport strongman whose career parallels Ounsley’s versatility.

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