Decade-Long Stalking Nightmare Forces Police Intervention
Gladiators icon Jet, whose real name is Diane Youdale, has disclosed a harrowing 10-year ordeal involving stalkers that escalated to the point of requiring police involvement.
Youdale appeared in the first four seasons of the original Gladiators series from 1992 to 1995. The show’s massive success thrust her into the spotlight, attracting unwanted and persistent attention from obsessive individuals.
Speaking openly, Youdale shared: “I’ve been stalked over the past 10 years by a couple of people. They took a step beyond the pale and that’s not fun.” She emphasized the uncertainty and danger: “When you have a stalker, you don’t know what step they’ll take next. You have to take it seriously.”
The situation became a matter for law enforcement, prompting her to remain vigilant. “It has been an issue for the police. I have to be guarded. Everyone is entitled to get on with their life in peace,” she stated.
Reflecting on her fame, Youdale admitted she might have declined participation if she had foreseen the intense scrutiny. She now maintains a low profile while working as a psychotherapist, counselor, and choreographer.
Turbulent Marriage Ends in Police Callout
Youdale recently detailed the breakdown of her brief marriage to teacher Zoe Gilbert, whom she wed in an intimate ceremony in July 2023 after proposing just four months into their relationship. This marked her first publicly known romance with a woman; they met by chance in a supermarket, and she quickly felt Zoe was “the one.”
The union, lasting about a year, deteriorated amid claims of bullying. During a heated argument in 2023 at Zoe’s home in the North East, Zoe fell over the back of a sofa. Youdale says she “pressed on her chest three times firmly” and told her, “Stop this now.” Police responded to the scene, spoke with Youdale, but made no arrest. The incident, occurring weeks after their wedding, ended the marriage.
Youdale accused Zoe of alienating her family and suggested their supermarket encounter was premeditated. She described feeling “hoodwinked,” “baited,” and “chased by a wolf,” even contemplating suicide as the relationship collapsed. “She never loved me… I was absolutely played, and now she’s trying to make herself famous because of it,” Youdale claimed. “I am sickened to the core by her allegations. She wants to bring me down.”
The living room was left in disarray with coffee splattered on walls and writing scrawled everywhere, though Youdale denies responsibility. “The next thing I knew, I was being led out by the police,” she recounted.
