All language subtitles for Australian.Ninja.Warrior.S03E03.WEBRip.9Now.en

Welcome to the brand-new season
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

I'm Ben Fordham.

I'm Freddie Flintoff.
And I'm Rebecca Maddern.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Season three
is well and truly underway,

and from the thousands of athletes
that have applied,

only the very best have made it
into the heats.

Last week,
Australian Ninja Warrior returned.

(LAUGHS)
How good was that?

A new home in Melbourne saw our
Ninjas take on a brutal new course,

battling unforgiving new obstacles.

What a mistake that was.
He was going so well!

Newcomers delivered,
like Ninja Poet Alex Cusack...

He's up that Warped Wall!

..and our shortest male competitor,
The Ginger Ninja.

Yes, Tom!

While some returning favourites
struggled...

Oh, no!
Oh, wow! That is a real shock.

..others showed why they're
still the ones to beat.

He's done it! How good was that?

But towering above them all,
the Mega Warped Wall.

Only two have conquered it.

Next stop, Mount Midoriyama.

Tonight, it's the toughest heat yet,

and some of the biggest names
in Ninja return

for another shot at glory...

I am the Deadly Ninja,
and I'm bringing it home.

..and another page
in the history books.

Yes!
Oh, my goodness!

Plus, exciting new Ninjas,
like Tamworth cowboy Phillip Forbes.

Boy from the bush, and I'm here
to show you how it's done.

..Olympic medallist,
John Steffensen...

I think Australia would know me

mainly for being a runner
that spoke his mind.

..and a new Ninja
everyone's talking about.

Cam D'Silva.
Cam D'Silva.

Cam D'Silva
is definitely one to watch.

Only 18 can make it to the semifinals

and take a shot at becoming
the first winner

of Australian Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(EXCITING MUSIC)

Over 200 Ninjas are battling
their way through our five heats,

pitting themselves against
the world's biggest

and toughest obstacle course.

That's right, Freddie, and to earn
a shot at scaling Mount Midoriyama,

our Ninjas must ultimately conquer
35 obstacles.

And tonight in the heats,
they will face the first six.

They are sure to test our Ninjas.

But there are two in particular
that could really trip them up.

The Swing Surfer -

that took out almost half
of our Ninjas on night one.

Strong female Sheena Steinert
fell victim to it,

and for the third year in a row,
she came off on obstacle two.

And have a look, Ben.
The Spinball Wizard.

That obstacle is ruthless.

It took out one of our best
returning females, Celeste Dixon.

But it's that double Warped Wall
decision

that always has me excited.

Do you play it safe
and go up the regular Warped Wall?

Or do you risk it for the biscuit

and shoot for that $5,000
at the top of the Mega Warped Wall,

standing at 5.2m?

It's a cold night here in Melbourne,

but we're about to
set this course alight.

So, without further ado,

let's bring out
our first competitor.

Get ready,
one of our favourites is back.

31-year-old Adelaide engineer who's
making his second Ninja appearance.

It's the return of The Furbinator,
also known as...

Stewart Furze.
Stewart Furze!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Last year was very nerve-racking,

especially the first time
stepping onto the podium.

Here he is, our lightest male Ninja.

58kg.

I was a bit of an underdog.

No-one really took me seriously
until I ended up in the grand final.

I'm not gonna lie, you've been
my hero of the competition.

And even probably surprised myself
a fair bit.

The legend that is The Furbinator!

Anything can happen
when you hit the course.

You know, there's a small amount
of luck that is involved.

You definitely have to make sure
that you've trained.

Your balance, your agility,

your grip and all of that
has to be on point.

If you don't have all of that
on point, you're coming off.

I'm looking to go another step
further this year

and take home that title of
Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

The T-shirt says it all.
Yes, it's The Furbinator.

Who could forget this fella
from last year?

Stewart Furze turned up the biggest
misdirection in history.

No-one gave him a chance. He's
surrounded by all these big lads,

all pushing weights in gym.

This little fella turns up,
grand final.

This year, he's going further.
You've heard it first.

The Furbinator is winning
this competition.

Oh, I like your confidence,
Freddie Flintoff.

CROWD: Let's go, Stew, let's go!

Partner Ashanti and his sister
and mum on the sideline there.

Here we go. It's the South
Australian, The Furbinator.

You've got this!

Furbi's a great example

that the Ninja Warrior course
does not discriminate.

Heavy or light, male or female -

if you're good enough,
you'll do well here.

(APPLAUSE)

Come on, Furbinator.
Swing Surfer time.

You may remember, 17 Ninjas
fell victim to this night one.

Come on, Stewart!

Here we go,
a bounce on the trampoline.

Yes, he's got the distance.
What a smooth landing.

He's got to get off quick,
before it stops swinging.

And he's done it.

He was a real surprise packet
in season two.

Came 15th overall.

So you are looking at
one of our very best.

Come on, Stewart.
On the Tuning Forks.

You'd imagine his weight
will play well on this one.

And he nails it...

Well, no, he doesn't.
Oh, no!

Gutted. Gutted!

Oh. Poor little fella.

It may not be obvious at home,

but the Tuning Forks
aren't in a straight line.

What that means is that Furbi
had to cross over himself

on the middle fork,

but you can see he misses his step
with his left foot.

From there, he wasn't able
to recover his balance.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Furbinator, I'm gutted.
How are you feeling?

I'm feeling the same as you. Gutted.

Unfortunately I thought I had that,

but just a slip of the foot,
and I felt my shin go.

I thought I had the edge
of that thing,

but, nah,
it was all over after that.

I'm gutted for you. Ladies
and gentlemen, The Furbinator!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, well, well! What a shock.

One of our very top Ninjas
with an early fall.

He faces a nervous wait

to see if he's done enough
to make it to the top 18.

Yeah, Bec, tonight's heat is tough,

with both new and returning
competitors.

Let's check who Freddie's catching up
with in the warm-up area.

Just over here is
one of the superstars

of series one and series two,

the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson.

Come on, Jack, get down there
a second. Let's have a chat.

Hey.
Take 'em out.

How are you? You alright?
Freddie!

Jack, you're back for a third time.

Is this the year we're gonna see it,

you at the top of Mount Midoriyama?

Brother, uh, back for season three.

We mean business this year.

I mean, Australia wants a winner.

You know,
we're gonna make it happen.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

This guy means business.

Desperate to get to the top
of Mount Midoriyama.

Let's see how he does.

Thank you, Freddie.
Can't wait for Jack.

But first, we've got
a brand-new female competitor,

and she is set to fly
through this course.

Hi, my name's Katie Sparrow.

I'm 26 years old.

I'm from Manly,
and I'm a personal trainer.

My love of fitness,
I've kind of had that my whole life.

(LAUGHS)

I guess growing up in New Zealand,
it's a very outdoorsy country.

We used to be very active -
mountain climbing,

doing kind of water sports,
rock climbing.

I absolutely love
physical challenges.

But one of my most interesting
hobbies

would probably be
that I do beatboxing.

(BEATBOXES)

My brother and his friends used to
do it, so I kind of copied off them

and ended up being alright.

(BEATBOXES)

So, yeah. I'm not gonna
let the course beat me,

but I'm gonna bring the beats.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

OK, here she comes. Katie Sparrow.

169cm tall,

weighing 61kg.

She looks like a real contender.

CROWD: Let's go, Katie, let's go!

BEN: Let's go, Katie.

Here she goes,
starting on the course.

Katie Sparrow is an all-rounder.

She acts, sings, does stunts.

And we know she's a beatboxer.

Interesting technique.

She's positioning herself
right at the top of these steps.

Might seem like a good idea,

but she's actually making that jump
further for herself.

Well, you might be right there, Ben,

but it really does seem to be
working for her.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
And she is relieved.

One down,
and five more obstacles to go.

Maximum effort!

Now, the Swing Surfer.

She looks a little cautious
at the moment.

Well, it is a big 3m jump from the
trampoline to that platform, Ben.

Lots of speed! Lots of speed, mate.

Oh, yes. Great technique.

Yeah, it was good technique.
MAN: Go, go, go, go!

She's just gonna wait to make sure
she times the exit.

Ooh, she's very scared
about getting off.

WOMAN: Take your time!

This is very interesting to watch.

Yeah, because how do you get the
momentum happening on this thing?

I don't know.

(CROWD CHEERING)

I've never seen anything like this
in my life before.

Just take your time, Katie,
take your time!

No, no, no! Her family are
telling her to take her time,

but that is the last thing
you want to do on this obstacle.

It stops.

CROWD: Swing! Swing! Swing!
Swing! Swing! Swing!

You can do it! You can do this!

Oh, this is an awful predicament
to find yourself in.

Oh, dear.

I think we're at the point
of saying...

No!

..that Katie Sparrow
is in no man's land.

This obstacle is now
at a dead standstill.

Someone get the fire brigade here.
Someone's stuck.

She's gonna have to just
make a jump for it.

That's the only thing to do
at this point.

But there's no momentum.

And Katie will need to launch herself
3m over the pool to that platform.

Come on, Katie!

(ALL GROAN)

It's the only thing she could do,
but we knew it would end like that!

Oh, dear me.

Thankfully, this sparrow can swim,

and she lives to see another day.

Katie Sparrow. She provided
a lot of entertainment.

Jeez, can we just give her
a medal for that?

Great effort! Great effort!

Great effort, but bad luck, Katie.

And up next,
we have a genuine Aussie cowboy.

Where do you think an Aussie
cowboy's gonna come from?

Queensland.
Tamworth.

Um, Phillip Forbes.

Um, I live in Tamworth. I'm 40.

Worked on cattle stations
all my life.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC)

I was born and bred a cowboy, so,
don't worry about nothing, really.

Except spiders. Spiders scare
the crap out of me. So, yeah.

For me, the prize money means
getting my own property

and running my own horses
and cattle.

Just want to test myself

and prove that the country people
are just as tough as anyone else.

So... Yeah.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Howdy doody!

Here we go. We've got a real-life
cowboy on the start grid.

His partner Bec and gorgeous
children are cheering on Dad.

He's not gonna wear the hat
on the course, surely?

I have a feeling this cowboy is.

Whoa, whoa, what?
Are you gonna keep the hat on?

I think that's dangerous,
but them ears might keep it down.

I hope it stays on, Freddie.

If it falls off and falls into
the pool and hits the water,

he will be disqualified.

CROWD: Cowboy! Cowboy! Cowboy!

(TIMER BEEPS)

Phillip Forbes is on his way,
with his hat.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Look at him attacking the course.

He's got jeans on as well.
He's got ripped jeans.

He looks like he's come
straight from work.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

The cowboy from Tamworth

who trains by climbing windmills
on the property.

(LAUGHS) I do love the shots
of him going up the windmill.

Cowboy! Cowboy! Cowboy!

Crowd favourite already. Bounces...

Oh, whoa, whoa!

That's a great effort!
Look at the balance on that fella!

This cowboy is showing his stuff!

He's got some of that outback skill,

that ability to adapt
to different circumstances

and just get on with the job.
No nonsense.

Faced with the Tuning Forks.

He's fast feet on this.
There he goes.

(ALL GROAN)

Oh, mate! Unlucky.
What an effort, though.

Wonder if his hat's still on now.

It is! His hat's still on!
He's still got his hat on!

Sadly, the cowboy is off the horse.

It was a great effort from Phillip,

but he made the same mistake
as Stewart Furze.

Watch as he misjudges
the fourth prong,

and he just can't recover
the balance.

And from there, it was
a bucking bronco to the end.

Once again, the first few stages of
the course are proving really tough.

But still to come,

will these heavyweights
that represented Australia

on American Ninja Warrior

be able to break the course?

MAN: Olivia Vivian.
Ben Polson.

This is Jack Wilson.

He's got it!

They are coming up.

And the most inspirational Ninja
from last series.

And he's leaping 1.5m on one leg.

Mark Daniels is back
to stake his claim.

MARK OLIVE: I'm here representing
every person with a disability,

and I'm here for every person who's
been told they can't do something.

Plus some newcomers
with some mind-blowing skills

make their debut,

like AFL royalty Brent Staker.

BRENT: Australia will remember me

for the infamous moment
in my sporting career,

and that was a punch to the head
from Barry Hall.

You know, as I said, if I could
take it back, I certainly would.

I've dusted off my footy boots,

and I'm ready to take on
this Ninja Warrior course.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(THEME MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to the all-new
star-studded season

of Australian Ninja Warrior.

And speaking of star-studded,

we've got a celebrity challenger
coming up right now, Bec.

Well, we need to get loud.

Put your hands together
for this former AFL star

who played 160 games

for the West Coast Eagles
and the Brisbane Lions.

Making his Ninja debut,
it is Brent Staker.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Oh,
he's taking his top off.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

The AFL guernsey comes off,

and we get a good look at
just how fit Brent Staker is.

Everyone expects him to do well.
I hope he does.

Come on, mate!

There's his mate, Muggsy, and
girlfriend Elise on the sideline.

(TIMER BEEPS)

Here he goes. Brent Staker,
onto the Floating Steps.

How is he gonna go, Bec?

Well, we had Brownlow medallist
Adam Cooney in series one,

and he came off on obstacle three -
still dirty about that.

So if Brent gets past that,

he's gonna score bragging rights
amongst the AFL community.

Well done, mate!

And now this big lad
approaches the Swing Surfer.

He weighs in at over 100kg.

There's a lot of weight
to propel out to that platform.

Jump forward, jump forward!

That's a good jump.

Oh, oh, oh!
Oh!

Great leap, but fell backwards!
Oh, spewin'!

He had enough momentum to get there,

but you can see his landing
was awkward.

Both feet were together,

so he just couldn't reach out
and grab a hold of that pole.

Well, Brent Staker won't be walking
away tonight with bragging rights.

No, they are still with Adam Cooney.

Really surprised by that, Ben.

This course does not discriminate,

and there's no better example of that
than our next competitor.

This Ninja was with us last season,
taking to the course on one leg.

He is back.
It is the incredible Mark Daniels.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

This is my second chance
running the Ninja Warrior course.

I feel last season I didn't reach
my potential. I came off early.

Bridge of Blades.
One, two...

Oh!
So close!

This year I'm coming back for
Ninja Warrior bigger and better.

I've trained really hard
for 12 months,

I've achieved a lot of milestones,
but physically, it's taken its toll.

Four months ago, training,
I actually snapped my right femur.

It was a pretty big setback.

I was back in a wheelchair
for about two months.

But I still trained.

As long as I was doing upper body
and not relying on my legs,

it was alright.

It's been a lot of hard work
to be able to get here.

I'm hoping all that training tonight
is really gonna make the difference.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Here he is. Mark Daniels is back.

Remember this guy in season two.

Lost his leg
in a motorbike accident,

but he still comes here and tries to
conquer the Ninja Warrior course.

This lad is impressive.

This lad has got guts.
This lad's got determination.

Hopefully he'll go further tonight.

He has been a very busy boy
last year,

competing in the Invictus Games.

Let's go, Mark! Let's go!

Gold and a bronze. Gold in rugby,

and a bronze for
four-minute indoor rowing.

CROWD: Let's go, Mark, let's go!
(TIMER BEEPS)

Imagine taking this on
with just one leg.

And can I remind everyone,
it's a 1.7m leap.

His one leg is doing the job of two.

And not only does he have to
push off on that leg,

he also has to land on it.

What about this bloke, Mark Daniels?

Came in season two.

Everyone was amazed
at how he could do this.

And he's amazing the crowd again,

and I'm sure he's amazing
you guys at home, too.

Just stop and take a moment
and look at what this guy is doing.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Now the Swing Surfer.

How is he possibly gonna do this?

We've already seen
how difficult it is.

It's gonna be really tough.

(CROWD CHANTING)
Come on, Mark!

The Swing Surfer...
Oh, he's on!

Oh, my goodness!
Mark Daniels has landed on the board.

Unbelievable!
I don't mean to sound surprised,

but honestly, I mean,
how did he do that?

He's hit the trampoline with one leg

and managed to crash tackle
his way onto that board.

Off he goes.
And now he's on!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Come on, Marky boy.

He's absolutely ripping and tearing
at this Ninja Warrior course.

And the crowd is on its feet,
loving every moment of it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

How on earth is he gonna get through
the Tuning Forks?

(CROWD CHEERING)

Look what he's done there.

The technique is one of necessity.

This is the only way that
he can do it, and it works.

Come on, Mark.

This is just such a nasty obstacle.

Those forks move,
and they're 1m apart.

This is all about creativity
and flexibility

and working within the parameters
that he's got.

And he's used to doing that,
Mark Daniels.

Go on, mate. Go on, go on.

And he's onto the second fork.

Come on!
Oh, my goodness.

No-one has completed
the Tuning Forks tonight.

You're right, Bec, and Mark Daniels
is now halfway through it.

If he gets through this,
the next obstacle is all upper body,

and we know that Mark will be able
to fly through that one.

He's got a big leap here.

Yes, Mark!
(CHUCKLES) Nails it!

This is unbelievable,
what you are watching,

what you are seeing is strength,
is guts and determination

like you've never, ever seen before.

He is a powerhouse.

Look at him getting himself up.

And he's done it... Oh!

(ALL GROAN)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Take your hat off to Mark Daniels.

We've just witnessed an amazing
effort from Mark Daniels,

and no matter where you're watching
around Australia,

I'm sure you'll agree,

that is one of the best efforts
we've seen this year

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Absolutely. He is incredible.
Over to you, Freddie.

Mark, that was unbelievable.

We thought you just about
got through,

but just falling off at the end.

I thought I got through, but, yeah.

Course this year is a hell of a lot
tougher than last season.

And I trained for 12 months,

so it's a bit disappointing
to come off where I did,

but thank you again
for the opportunity.

That's amazing.
We'll have you back every time.

I just don't know, how on earth
did you get through the Surf Swing?

It was one of the most amazing
things I've ever seen.

Talk us through it.

Uh, I wasn't actually...
Yeah, OK, that hurt. (LAUGHS)

Yeah, I wasn't actually sure
I was gonna stick that landing,

but basically, it was,
yeah, just all heart.

Threw myself as far as I could.
(CROWD CHEERING)

And then, yeah,
get to the other side.

I thought I was gonna run out
of time, so I threw myself.

Yeah, that was just all heart.
It's everything I had.

Mate, you've been absolutely
amazing. Inspired all of us.

Congratulations on
the Invictus games as well.

Mate, you're a champion.
You better take that back as well.

Mate, I hope we see you again.
Top man.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
No doubt about it.

We're just getting warmed up.

Still to come,
there's a new Ninja from Perth

that everyone has their eye on.

Cam D'Silva.
He is an amazing athlete.

He's probably gonna be
one of the shortest,

but he is certainly one
to look out for.

CAM: Everything I do,
I prove people wrong.

Plus skeleton racer Mel Armstrong
is back,

and she has her sights set
on one thing.

MEL: My legs have always been
strong and explosive,

so the wall absolutely
won't be a problem.

And after the break,
she calls herself an Aqua Duck.

People think that aqua aerobics
is just for old people.

(SCOFFS) That is such a joke.
(GIGGLES)

FREDDIE: I'm on the sidelines
with the Aqua Ducks.

(CROWD CHEERING)

And they're here to support
their teacher, Trudie Horskins.

How do you think she's gonna go,
Trudie?

Oh, she'll kill it. She'll kill it!

Well, you've heard it first.
Trudie is gonna kill it.

Find out how she goes
after this break.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(THEME MUSIC)

Welcome back to
Australian Ninja Warrior,

and I've got out of the tower
for a very special woman.

It is Olivia Vivian,
the superstar of season two,

who, remember, did the backflip
up the Warped Wall.

How extraordinary. What have you
got planned this season?

I tell you, Bec,
not much will top that one.

But I do have something different
planned.

But that Mega Wall really
sort of shook my brain,

so we'll see when I get there.

OK. How are you feeling tonight?

This course is tough,
according to the other Ninjas.

Absolutely.
It's always a tough course.

I think, you know, the fact we
haven't trained it or seen it

or tried it before makes it tough,
but I'm gonna be honest,

the cold is my trickiest obstacle
right now.

It is a little chilly in Melbourne,

and some other Ninjas are
finding that a little tricky.

There's plenty of Ninjas
running on the course tonight.

We better get back there.
But good luck to you, Olivia Vivian.

You'll be up very shortly.
Thanks, Bec.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Well, Australia can't wait to
see Olivia take to the course again,

but warming up right now,

another strong female competitor,
Trudie Horskins.

You need me on the next
Ninja Warrior

because there is no aqua Ninjas
out there.

People think that aqua aerobics
is just for old people.

(SCOFFS) That is such a joke.
(GIGGLES)

Our classes are off the hook.
(ALL CHEERING)

They so forget about what
they're doing in the water.

Before they realised they were
losing their bingo arms,

they were gone. (LAUGHS)

I have brought with me
the Aqua Ducks.

Quack, quack, quack!
Quack, quack! Quack, quack!

They lose it in the pool,

and they are gonna lose it
in the crowd tonight.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

I am here to be on top of the water,
and get on top of that Warped Wall.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(WOMEN QUACKING)

FREDDIE: Tell you what,
I'm down here with the Aqua Ducks,

and they're going
absolutely bonkers.

They're getting right behind
their girl, Trudie Horskins.

She gonna do well?
She's gonna smash it.

(TIMER BEEPS)

So, we've just seen Trudie switch
from having fun to serious.

Something just clicked in her brain
just then, I reckon.

Well, aqua aerobics
is serious training.

She'll have good balance
and strength and stamina.

Yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So, the next challenge,
the Swing Surfer,

is going to be a big one.

She goes on to the Surf Swinger.

Needs to get a big leap
towards the pole.

Yes! She's through!

The crowd goes wild for Trudie.

Now just needs a safe dismount
onto the platform.

Oh, it's a little bit messy,
but she's still in!

And this Aqua Duck
is looking focused.

How's she going? How's she going?
Going well?

She's doing bloody good!

Bloody good!
She's doing bloody good!

(CHUCKLES) The Tuning Forks.

No-one's managed to get through
this obstacle yet tonight.

CROWD: Trudie! Trudie! Trudie!

Oh, she's just danced through them!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Look at this incredible athlete.

Now, this is the kind of performance
that we've all come here to witness.

CROWD: Trudie! Trudie! Trudie!

BEN: And she's having fun
while she does it, too.

And she's got a really great body
for this competition,

and her upper body
should bode well here,

all from that aqua aerobics
training.

This is all about
upper body strength.

Look at her go. She's pushing
and shoving and willing herself on.

And she's getting a lot of power
from the legs as well,

she's moving them in time
with the upper body.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
And she's through!

She's through, alright.
Now the Spinball Wizard.

Trudie's 59kg,

so she's really gonna have to
throw herself into the tramp

to get enough height.
WOMAN: Go, Trudie!

(BLOWS BIRD CALLER)

This is the most challenging
obstacle on this course tonight.

It took out 11 of our strongest
competitors on night one.

There she goes. Oh, no, no, no!

She missed the handles.
She is in the pool,

probably where she feels
more comfortable,

but that was a great effort.

Trudie! Trudie! Oh, you're alright.
Here's a noodle.

Safety first.

(CHUCKLES) Trudie was the first one
through the Tuning Forks tonight.

Check out that footwork.

At the Spinball Wizard,

she just doesn't throw herself
hard enough into the tramp

to get the height.

But we all know it's
Furthest Fastest,

and after that spectacular
performance from our Aqua Duck,

she's on top of the leaderboard,

in front of Stewart Furze,

cowboy Phillip Forbes,

and with the incredible Mark Daniels
coming fourth,

that leaves AFL star Brent Staker
in fifth.

This course has challenged
even our most elite athletes.

No-one has even made it
to the Warped Walls tonight.

But up next,
we have got competitive gymnast

and last season's grand finalist -

it's Jordan Papandrea.

Post-season two Ninja Warrior,
I did have a bit of a setback,

breaking my leg
in my first competition of the year

for gymnastics.

I had to get six pins
and a plate put in,

and now I'm not 100%.

There's still a lot of things
I can't do,

but at the same time,
I need to put trust into my legs.

So, coming to support me
will be my dad...

We'll be there on the sideline, mate.
Yeah, we're so proud of you.

My dad's a very proud, proud dad.

And he likes to claim
that everything I've done

is because he's taught me.

You've got the determination there,
mate.

He hasn't taught me any gymnastics,

but he loves just to say, you know,
"Just do what I taught you."

(LAUGHS) A very Dad thing to do.

Ninja Warrior dad.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Let's go, Jordan, let's go!

Oh, and that is proud dad Len
on the sideline

with Jordan's mate Brody.

(TIMER BEEPS)

BEN: Now, how's Jordan's leg
going to handle this?

It's still in recovery stage
at the moment.

Well, I know it's early, but
you wouldn't know he had a setback.

His technique - perfect.

You know what to do, mate.

BEN: Swing Surfer. This gymnast
is no stranger to the tramp.

Oh!
Oh, look at the leap!

He nearly jumped out the frame,
there. You see that?

The height he got.
Come on, mate.

BEN: Oh, and the forward roll!

Look at that leap
and the somersault!

What other tricks has he got
in his bag?

He is now planning out his footwork
on the Tuning Forks.

CROWD: Jordan! Jordan! Jordan

BEN: The Tuning Forks are tuned.
Yes.

His leg held up, Bec,

and in the next two obstacles,
it's all upper body.

Well, that's good news.
Look how his arms are so bent.

In complete control.

Oh, my word.
He's killing the course.

Breaking a land speed record.

Go!
Just the dismount now.

Oh, the crowd is up on their feet

watching Jordan Papandrea
do something really special.

Take your time, mate!
Keep them straight!

He has reached the Spinball Wizard
in under a minute.

Flying through the course so far.

You'd imagine his gymnastic skills

will be used to full effect
on this obstacle.

BEN: Hang on. All of a sudden,
he twists and turns.

Oh, dear.
Gets himself back in the line,

and this could be it. It is it!
Perfect. Perfect, Jordan.

Jordan Papandrea
is now within shot...

Yes!
..of the Mega Warped Wall.

LEN: Go the Mega! Go the Mega!

BEN: Will he play it safe?

The Mega Warped Wall might be
a little bit too much for him

with that leg injury.

He's gone the Mega Warped Wall.

CROWD: Beat the wall!
Beat the wall! Be the wall!

BEN: He could be the first one
up there tonight.

Don't hang around.
Just get up there, son.

Jordan Papandrea...

No.
Gee.

That was a real misstep for Jordan.
He was a long way off the top.

Got about halfway up.

But that's the first time
he's got a sense of the curve.

Come on, mate.

BEN: He gets two more attempts.

If he gets up there,
he can score five grand.

Go, Jordan.

Oh, he's miles away. Miles away.
I didn't see that coming.

Has he made an error here?

Should he have gone the normal
Warped Wall at 4.25m?

Should've, would've, could've.
Let's not worry about that.

Jordan Papandrea is about to
bring this home.

He is gonna have to dig really deep.

Go, Jordon!
Has he got it in him to get there?

Yeah!
Yes! He got to the top!

Jordan Papandrea!
Unbelievable!

Unbelievable!
How good's that?

And he starts dishing out the cash.
Five big ones!

Jordan!

BEN: The money's flying
on Ninja Warrior. $5,000...

Too good!

BEN: and on the third attempt, Bec,

you were doubting him there
for a moment. He's your boy!

I didn't know you had that in you,
Jordan. I thought you were gone.

She was doubting you, mate!
Oh, thanks for having my back.

Yeah, what's going on?

I did, until you made the choice
to go up the Mega Warped Wall,

and then on the third attempt...
I knew you had it, brother.

That's why I made it up. Thank you.
No worries, mate.

Apologies, Jordan. Well,

this was a near-perfect run
from Jordan Papandrea.

He flew through the first few stages
of the course,

and his work on the Rolling Steel
was absolutely textbook.

And then he chose to go
the Mega Warped Wall,

even though he is struggling
with an injury.

He used all three attempts,
but brought it home.

That makes him the Furthest Fastest
tonight.

And that's $1,000 to the KFC
Youth Foundation charity partners.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

To conquer the Mega Warped Wall
on your third attempt

is something special.

No doubt about it. We've seen
plenty of big moments tonight,

and there are still more to come.
Don't go anywhere.

You're watching Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Coming up, Olympic track and field
star, John Steffensen.

Plus, he's the newcomer
all the other Ninjas fear.

Cam D'Silva.

Cam D'Silva's definitely
one to watch.

Can this pocket rocket
live up to his reputation?

And after the break,
skeleton rider Mel Armstrong

crashed out early
in the semifinals last year.

Will this mum of two
be the first woman

up the Warped Wall for season three?

Yeah. I've got that.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: The KFC Youth Foundation
is a proud supporter

of Australia's youth
and Ninja Warrior.

For every Ninja who dares to take on
the Mega Warped Wall tonight,

the KFC Youth Foundation
will donate $1,000

to their charity partners.

(THEME MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior
in Melbourne,

where, before the break,
Jordan Papandrea

was the first to make it up
the Mega Warped Wall tonight.

Yes! Jordon Papandrea!
He got to the top! Unbelievable!

On his third attempt,
he scaled the Mega Warped Wall

and scored himself $5,000.

And our next Ninja
has her own aspirations

to get up the Warped Wall.

One of our strongest
female contenders,

mum of two, Mel Armstrong.

OK, Sonny.
Yeah?

Can you tell everybody, have you got
any advice for me for Ninja Warrior?

Yeah.
What do I need to do differently?

(LAUGHS) Get wet.

Get wet?
I'm pretty good at that, aren't I?

When I do the primary school,
you know, drop-off in the morning,

they're always like, "Can you run
up the wall? Can you do the wall?"

Beat the wall!
Beat the wall!

I can say yes
as many times as I like,

but until they see me
actually do it,

it doesn't hold much credence,
really.

(ROCK MUSIC)

So, I competed in skeleton in 2004.

My legs have always been strong
and explosive,

so the wall absolutely
won't be a problem.

Last year, I made the semis.

Can she beat it?

No, she can't.

I think I was thinking, like,
one obstacle ahead.

I just wasn't in the moment,
so, splash.

But that will not happen this year.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Have a look at the fitness level
of Mel Armstrong.

Go, Mummy!
Go, Mummy!

BEN: And those beautiful
little kids...

Aww!
..kitted out in the tracksuits.

Have a look at them.
Duke and Sonny!

Hey, Duke and Sonny!

And Mel Armstrong is one of our top
female contenders in tonight's heat.

(CROWD CHANTING)

It's a tough heat.
A really challenging course.

(TIMER BEEPS)

(CROWD CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Here she goes,
Mel Armstrong.

Made the semifinals last year,
falling off on the Broken Pipes.

This time round, she's trained
for a whole year for this.

And she describes herself
as bullet-proof.

No bullets on this course,
just a lot of water, Mel.

And she's through.

The first obstacle much tougher
than last year's.

Gee, she looks fit this year.

Like many of our returning Ninjas,

Mel has spent the whole year putting
in specific training for Ninja.

Let's hope she gets the distance
onto the Swing Surfer.

She is there!

Grabs onto the big pole,

now just needs to time her exit
onto the platform.

And nicely done. Hey!

Well done on the exit.

It is cause for celebration,

because anything can happen
on that Swing Surfer.

Go, Mummy! Go, Mummy!

Tuning Forks, all about balance,
but how are you gonna tackle it?

Slow and steady?
Rip it off like a bandaid?

Go, go, go, go!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

You wouldn't know it looking at her,

but she says she loves a Chardonnay,
cheese and marshmallows.

I don't believe you.

Look at those abs
and look at those shoulders,

working, pushing towards the end.

A couple more turnovers...
Oh, no!

Oh, no! Just comes up short!

Oh! She slipped!

I cannot believe
she fell in the pool.

She was looking so strong
on that obstacle, Freddie.

Did she do well?
Yeah.

Yeah, she did the best!

Mel, it was going so well,
and it just came undone there.

I do not want to be talking to you
just yet! (LAUGHS)

It's like being at home, this,
Mel, to be honest.

(LAUGHTER)

Yeah, well, I...

That's just so what happens when you
think you've already done something.

I knew I was at the end,

and I was already thinking about
being off it,

and that's when you get wet!

So, that's just a stuff-up
I can't take back,

really, isn't it? (LAUGHS)

Cheers, Mel. Unlucky.
Thanks.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Oh, that was hard to watch.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Oh!
(INAUDIBLE)

Ah, well.
Well done, Mummy.

Ah, well!

BEN: Yeah, the pressure can get to
even our most experienced Ninjas.

You splashed us!

I splashed you? I'm sorry!

And if anyone knows experience, it's
two-time grand finalist Ben Polson.

Freddie's down in the warm-up area
right now.

Freddie, over to you and Ben.

Ben, come here, mate.
Let's have a quick chat.

One... (EXHALES)
Oh, give it a rest, mate.

Um, listen, this is your third time
on Ninja Warrior.

Is this the year gonna do something?

Are you gonna get up
that Mount Midoriyama?

Are you saying the past two years
I haven't been doing anything?

Well, you've tried hard and
it's gone alright, but, third time.

Look, third time's the charm.

I honestly do believe that
this year is the year.

Do you think it's actually possible
to do it?

I truly do believe that I'm gonna
get to the top of that mountain,

and I really can't wait to do it.

And I know you're gonna be there
cheering me on.

Mate, if you're there,
I cannot wait to see it.

But looking around, there's a few
new Ninjas, a few new faces.

Are there any ones that you've
spotted, like, ones to watch?

Yeah, look, um, I may be
the tallest Ninja on the show,

but we've got Cam D'Silva over to
my left who's one of the shortest.

And it's amazing to see us
train together.

We've got totally different
techniques,

do everything differently,
but we still achieve the same goal.

So I'm super stoked
to have Cam by my side,

a fellow Perth Ninja,
and he's one to look out for.

I'm 165cm, and I weigh 57kg.

I have quite a large
fighting background.

I did taekwondo for seven years.

I was competing at state level.

Won a couple of state championships.

Yeah. So,
I was 12 when I hit my head.

(SOLEMN MUSIC)

I fell off a skateboard,
hit my head,

didn't get knocked out,
proceeded to walk home.

Couple of days later,
my head was still sore,

my nose started running.

Put me through a CT scan.

They then saw that I had fractured
my skull in multiple places

and I had quite large blood clots
around my brain.

It was an emergency surgery
that night.

They removed a part of my skull,
removed the blood clots,

and put three titanium bolts
and a plate in my skull.

It all happened so fast.

They said,
"You're gonna not survive,

"or you'll never make
a full recovery."

The term they used was
'a vegetable'.

MAN: Worst thing for a parent
is seeing your kid like that.

I was petrified he wouldn't make it.

I didn't breathe
for probably six months.

They said the recovery
would take a while,

but he slowly came back.

He wanted to compete
in taekwondo again.

He wanted to go black belt.
I'm like, "No. No.

"You can't compete.
It's full contact. It's..."

You know, and he found
something else, which was Ninja.

I've gone on to make
a 100% recovery.

But I was left with a pretty good
scar from ear to ear,

as you can probably see
when I have a haircut, especially.

Everything I do,
I prove people wrong.

The sky's the limit, isn't it?

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Here we go. Cameron D'Silva.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

He's only 5'5. 57kg.

But we think he's gonna fly
through this course,

and possibly make it up
the Mega Warped Wall.

MAN: That's it, mate. Stay relaxed.

Mum and Dad couldn't be here,
but training partner Dave

is cheering him on tonight.
You know what to do.

BEN: Well, safe to say, Bec,
this bloke's been to hell and back.

Yeah, he has, but he is focused
on one thing at the moment,

and that's getting up
Mount Midoriyama.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Showing great form already
on the Floating Steps.

There are some other Ninjas
who've been around for some time

who reckon, out of the new breed,
this bloke is on the top of the pile.

Little bit of added pressure
on this lad.

Everyone talking him up,
saying how good he is.

Great landing.

Had to make a massive leap there.
Not the biggest of lads.

Now he needs another one to get
to the side, and he's through.

Tuning Forks. This one is tricky.

It's all about balance
and precision.

Know your footing. Know your footing.

BEN: Does he have it to negotiate?
Oh, oh, oh!

Oh!
No!

(ALL GROAN)
Oh, no.

Cam D'Silva,
he falls off the Tuning Forks.

One of our high hopes,

one of the Ninjas that
the other Ninjas fear,

is off on obstacle three.

That's a big shock. Big shock.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

On Ninja Warrior,
you could be doing everything right,

and you're just short by an inch,
and all of a sudden,

it looks like it might be over
for him.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

He's doing it tough at the moment.
Put on a brave face.

But I think there might be
a few tears

welling up in his eyes
at the moment, so...

It's a tough one for him.

We were certain this newcomer
was gonna do well,

but anything can happen.

Still to come,
some of the biggest names

in Australian Ninja Warrior return,

and they have their eyes
on the $300,000 prize.

Jack Wilson.

I'm back for season three,
and I'm bringing it home.

The history-making Olivia Vivian...
What! What!

..who was the first female
up the Warped Wall last year.

OLIVIA: Last year,
the females brought the heat,

but it's about time
we took out the title.

Or it could be the big man,
Alex Bigg,

destined for Ninja glory.

I'm a Big Ninja,
I'm back for season three.

Third time lucky, baby.

He is ready and raring to go.
That's next.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: The Ninja Warrior who powers
their way furthest and fastest,

outlasting the others,

will be declared the season's winner

and take home $100,000,
thanks to Energizer.

(THEME MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to Melbourne,
where it's a freezing eight degrees,

and warming up is grand finalist
Alex Bigg.

The aircraft engineer
came third last year,

and he has his eyes on the big prize.

BEC: We'll soon see how he goes,
but now, another newcomer to Ninja.

Who have you got there, Freddie?

FREDDIE: Dhani Johnson from NSW.

Now, this young man's grandfather,
Wally Johnson,

wrote the song
'Home Among the Gum Trees'.

Never heard of it. Never.

Freddie, you're talking about
an Australian classic there.

DHANI: For me, this house
has always been very special.

Everybody knows the legacy
of this house.

♪ A sheep or two and a kangaroo... ♪

This is the house
my grandfather was talking about

when he wrote the song
'Home Among the Gum Trees'.

♪ And an old rocking chair. ♪

I grew up here.

I have, personally, a lot of
memories attached to this place.

This is where my Ninja training
started.

This is where it all started.
All those years ago.

So, what did you do?
Swinging off the clothesline.

Tell me again about
my poor clothesline.

(CHUCKLES) I would tie a rope
to one of the corners,

get a running start
all the way around...

(LAUGHS)

..and then launch myself out
over the edge.

One of the reasons that I really
want to run the Ninja Warrior course

is to make my family proud.

Grandpa left behind a legacy
to be proud of,

and I want to make my legacy
on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

MAN: Come on, give him a big cheer!

Dad Cydrus revving up the crowd,

and Grandma tonight watching from a
home among the gum trees, of course.

BEN: That early training on the rocks
is paying off.

He's making light work
of the Floating Steps.

Easy!

Testing the tramp,
always a good idea.

Good run-up, a good run-up.

Good advice, Dad.

But let's see how he puts it
into practice.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Big moment.
I'm nervous. I'm nervous.

He lands it.
Yes! Big leap. Huge leap!

Using that momentum
for a graceful dismount now.

Does it. Tick.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

This is a strong start
from the Gum Tree Ninja

as he makes his way to
the Tuning Forks.

FREDDIE: He goes. Oh,
he's going fast through there.

Wow! Blink and you'll miss it!

He is light on his feet.
And smiling all the way!

He is confident.

I'm confident, too.
He could go all the way.

This one's easy! You got this!

Oh, I wouldn't say easy, Cydrus.
The obstacle is very tough.

Taking his time with the dismount.

Now done.
Done.

He needs to focus right now
on the Spinball Wizard.

Don't think about it.
Test the tramp, test the tramp.

So, we've already seen his form
on the tramp, and it was good.

Can he get the height?
Come on, Dhani!

This is a big leap. Goes for it...

Gets it.
Yeah!

He is a contender, that's for sure.

CROWD: Swing! Swing! Swing! Swing!

FREDDIE: This tests everything -
your concentration,

your power, your core, technique.

Just starting to go a little bit
all over the place.

Yeah, he's got to try and get
those handlebars straight

and focus on the transition.
That's it! That's it!

Oh, he's taking an
awfully long time.

Now he's getting a bit of momentum.

Burning a lot of energy...

Oh!
He slipped!

Oh, I think he spent too much time
on the first one.

His arms gave way.

He had those balls in his hands,
and then he let them go.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
That was a pretty good effort.

Oh, that was awesome.

Dhani, it was a great run
up until the Spinball Wizard.

How hard is that?

It's ridiculous. So much fun, but...

Yeah, just the hand-eye coordination
that you need to, like,

get yourself swinging
in the right direction,

and then those balls
are just like...

Those balls are a nightmare.
(LAUGHTER)

Look, a great effort, Dhani.
Well done, mate.

Ladies and gentlemen, Dhani Johnson!

Well done, mate.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, he didn't go all the way,
but he is certainly still in it.

This course has been
taking its toll,

but some of our strongest Ninjas
are still to come,

including this next guy.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yes, he's got his eye
on Mount Midoriyama.

But before that,
the Mega Warped Wall.

From South Australia, Alex Bigg.

Look at this!

Alex Bigg,
pushing through the pain barrier.

ALEX: Last season,
I got third place.

I was pretty happy with it
at the time,

and then it sort of started
to eat at me afterwards.

It was like,
"Oh, just a little bit further."

Oh, no!
Oh!

I'm back this year for redemption.

I've done a lot of training
since season two.

(ROCK MUSIC)

I think I'm a lot better prepared
for season three

than I was for season two.

This year,
there's over 100 grand on the line

for Australian Ninja Warrior,
I'm gonna take it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

He is a favourite with the crowd.

All of his family and baby Arlo
right here in prime position,

ready for his assault
on the Warped Wall.

Yeah, I think if he goes all the way,

he'll have a crack at the Mega Wall
and the 5K.

Come on, big fella! You've got this.

OK.
(TIMER BEEPS)

The buzzer has sounded.

Alex is big by name and stature, as
he takes on this new first obstacle.

But he is floating over
the Floating Steps.

He is one of my red-hot favourites.

We've seen some red-hot favourites
come unstuck early,

so let's just give him his time
and not jinx him.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Now on to the Swing Surfer.
Needs a big bounce.

Look at that. Oh, my word!
He nearly knocks it over!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Big leap there from Alex Bigg.
He means business.

He's going to the top, this lad.
Look at him.

Oh, he does it well.
Oh, Alex, don't scare us.

Had a bit of a moment midair
where he was wondering

whether he had enough steam
to get across, but he did it.

This is gonna be a tough one, Bec.

Well, unlike Dhani, Ben,
Alex is not light on his feet.

In fact, the big man
is 12kg heavier.

Oh, no, Alex!
Oh! Oh!

Oh, that's a save from Alex Bigg!

Alex Bigg hangs on for dear life!

Oh, dear! Look at the spin!
Look at the spin!

He rides it around five,
six, seven times.

Oh, I feel sick watching.

He recovers.
I don't know how he did.

Wow.
Wow.

Oh!

That shows class, skill and patience.

That was a mighty save.
One of the best we have seen so far.

And that is what experience
will do for you.

(CHUCKLES) He shakes his head
in disbelief.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Breathes a huge sigh of relief.

I think that was gonna be
his biggest concern.

This is not. Have a look
at the upper body strength.

And the Rolling Steel is now...

conquered by Alex Bigg.

And Alex Bigg is one step closer
to the Warped Wall.

That spill on the Tuning Forks
cost him.

He's 40 seconds behind where Jordan
Papandrea was at this point.

He needs to get up that wall fast.

(CROWD CHANTING)

Here he goes,
Alex Bigg on the Spinball Wizard.

Safely onto the first handlebars.

Oh, yeah, but we just saw
what happened with Dhani.

He got stuck on the first set
of handles, ran out of steam,

and then didn't have enough energy
to lache.

Can Alex do it?

Yes.
He lands it.

Oh, he's far from danger yet,
though. Still one to go.

Makes it! Alex Bigg!

But look at the dismount.

3m to the edge.

Gives a smile to the crowd to say,
"I've got this."

And you are safe.

Will he have a go at
the Mega Warped Wall?

He's going towards
the Mega Warped Wall.

This lad loves his cash.
He is going Mega.

CROWD: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Didn't even look at
the normal Warped Wall.

Always about the Mega one.

I'm gonna back him in.
Here he goes.

Here he goes. Alex Bigg.
Leaning over.

Up, Alex Bigg! Straight up!

Alex Bigg gets up
the Mega Warped Wall!

$5,000!

And he is five grand richer!

How good was that?
Oh! Oh, my goodness.

Alex Bigg,
we've been waiting for you!

What a run.

It was a very close call
on the Tuning Forks, though.

We've seen this error a lot tonight,

when he missed the landing
on that fourth prong.

But Alex was able to catch himself,
hang on during that wild ride,

and then when the time was right,
make the dismount.

And from there, it was a perfect run
to the Mega Warped Wall.

First go, didn't blink,
didn't even consider the Warped Wall.

What an effort.
(LAUGHS)

He looked like he had another couple
of inches to go!

Alex, well done, pal.

Mate, that was a great run,

but your heart must have been
in your mouth

at one point on the Tuning Forks.

Yeah, did you see that?
What the hell!

Did you see me grab it?
Yeah, I wasn't expecting that.

I was here. I was on the side, mate.
(LAUGHTER)

Alright, well, you're through
to the semifinal,

and I'm sure you've got bigger
things on your mind, don't you?

Oh, that little one.

I wasn't really referring to that.

I was thinking about
Mount Midoriyama,

but you go and change a nappy.

Go on. Cheers, Al.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So far tonight,

we've had two returning favourites
up the Mega Warped Wall,

scoring five grand apiece.

If we can get one more up there,

it'll be the most we've had up
the Mega Warped Wall in one heat.

And with returning Ninja power couple

Olivia Vivian and Ben Polson
still to come,

triumph is on the cards.

Plus Olympic track and field
superstar John Steffensen

is backing himself
on the Ninja course.

When I was running,
I always aimed to be a champion,

so tonight, nothing has changed.

I'm still aiming to conquer
that wall,

and if I don't get there,

I've gotta be ready for
the criticism I'm gonna get

from everybody I've told that I'm
gonna conquer this course. (LAUGHS)

And after the break,

a speedskating daredevil
wheels up to the starting gate.

MAN: I'm used to towing down hills
at 80km an hour plus,

but tonight, you're gonna see me go
up the Warped Wall even faster.

Will Owen Davey be the first new
Ninja up the Warped Wall tonight?

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(THEME MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior,
where, during the break,

undefeated Muay Thai champion
River Daz attacked the course.

Come on!
BEN: Here he goes.

Up he goes.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Now, you don't want to spend too
long on this thing, otherwise...

Oh, but he went just too quick!

And Queensland-born diesel mechanic
Krystal Barbour took to the course.

But she didn't have enough power
in her run-up,

and fell short on the Swing Surfer.

You tried. You tried. It was good.

OK, but on course now is 32-year-old
downhill speedskater Owen Davey,

and look at him.
He is flying through.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Just looking at the clock now.

He's reached the Spinball Wizard

just three seconds short
of Jordan Papandrea's time.

He's going so well!
MAN: Come on, Owen!

(CROWD CHANTING)

Grabs the handles
of the first Spinball Wizard.

FREDDIE: Needs to somehow
keep himself straight

as he swings those legs.

You can see they're just twisting
side to side.

The handlebars,
they don't remain straight.

They go all over the place.

Yes! Grabs a hold of those balls.

Now, he's got to adjust his grip
here during the lache

from the balls to the handlebars.
It's tricky.

Look at the eyes just locked into
where they need to go.

Yes!
He gets it.

And he turns to the crowd to say,
"Yes!"

Really got good body control.

MAN: Come on!

Look at him!
He's nodding to the crowd.

He's having the time of his life.

That's a 3m jump.

And now, Owen Davey,
the 32-year-old from the ACT.

Owen Davey, this guy is one of
the best newcomers we've seen.

He is only the third to make it
to the walls tonight.

CROWD: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Just gone straight for
the Warped Wall

and trying to book his place
in the semifinal.

Oh, my god.

Here we go.
Revving up the engine...

But Owen Davey gets up the top,
hits the buzzer,

and books his spot in the semifinals
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Owen Davey,
that was a first-class run.

Were you fearing anything?
Or you just felt comfortable?

I think the Tuning Forks
are the scariest one.

It's hard.
Go and catch your breath

and go and say g'day to the gang.
Congratulations.

Give him a big round of applause,
Owen Davey!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Gymnast Jordan Papandrea
still tops the leaderboard,

but Owen's run puts him
into second place.

Alex Bigg is in third.

I am very excited
about the next Ninja.

He's an Olympic silver medallist,

and has won gold
in the Commonwealth Games.

He is one of Australia's
great athletes,

and he's looking to fly through
this Ninja Warrior course.

Let's get behind John Steffensen.

I think Australia would know me
mainly for being

a runner that spoke his mind...

You think I waste my time
running and training for fun?

..but yet could achieve as well,

and I think my most popular race

was probably winning
Commonwealth Games in 2006.

I think what makes a successful
athlete is strong belief

and the ability to work
extremely hard.

I like to think that I have
some attributes

that could get me across the line,

but I won't know until
I take on the course.

I have to call upon all my knowledge
of my sport

and just make sure I can, uh...
at least not embarrass myself.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Hi, John.

Got any tips?

He's asking me for tips!

He's a proper athlete.
I was a cricketer.

Don't ask me, mate.
(LAUGHS)

CROWD: Go, go, go, go!

BEN: When you see it on the TV,

those steps look close together,

but in the flesh, a lot harder,
and they get steeper as you go.

We haven't had too many
track athletes and superstars

on Ninja Warrior,

so we're not quite sure,
with John's background,

how that's gonna hold him
on this course tonight.

He's been watching from the couch
and thinking,

"I reckon I'd be half a chance."

Mmm. (LAUGHS)

I don't think there'll be anything
that'll stop him here, Bec.

He has always got a great,
big smile on his face.

He's got a super personality,

and that is a super jump.

Hey, he's looking good.
I know it's an early call,

but he sort of got over the nerves
now, and he's into it!

A Superman leap at the end
to put himself on the mat.

And now the Tuning Forks.
Oh, he is scratching his head,

thinking, "how do I negotiate this?"

Oh, that's how you do it!
Just like that, you do!

So far, so, so good.

Now, the Rolling Steel.

We've seen his leg power,
but this tests something else.

(CROWD CHEERING)

We're working the upper body now.
Getting a little bit stuck.

Push, push, push, John!
You're at the end!

Oh, he wants to get off this thing.
He wants to get off it quick.

The crowd are on their feet.

Now, he needs to take a little bit
of a breather here, I reckon...

I think he's cooked.

..because two obstacles in a row
that really challenge the arms,

and considering most of his power
comes from the lower end of the body,

he really needs to suck
some oxygen in at the moment.

CROWD: Swing! Swing! Swing!

And remember, he is retired.

You know, he's probably not
as fit as he used to be.

Still looks very fit, but...

I'm glad you clarified that.
(CHUCKLES)

(INAUDIBLE)
He goes, and down he goes.

He's good on his feet,
but not his hands.

I just felt that he should have taken
a little bit longer

between obstacles then.

And look, you can see,
his arms are cooked.

Another one taken
by the Spinball Wizard,

and not just anyone,
he is an Olympian.

But remember, there's a possibility

he'll still go through
to the semifinals,

because it's Furthest Fastest
that goes through.

I can't wait to hear
what he has to say.

You are gassed. You're a proper
athlete, and look at you.

You can't catch your breath!

Use that term very loosely there,
Freddie, but, mate...

I'm knackered, mate. I'm buggered.
But anyway.

If I was you, I'd go and rest,
get your breath back,

and hopefully see you again.
Well done, John. Absolute pleasure.

Well done, pal.

Isn't it interesting
to hear elite athletes

and how this course
actually challenges them

with all of their accolades.

Hopefully John Steffensen will
get through to the semifinals.

After the break, this Perth athlete
became a household name

by taking Ninja Warrior by storm.

Whoo!

Of course, unfortunately,
Ninja does not pay the bills.

And he's had to take odd jobs
to make ends meet.

You are literally
watching paint dry.

So there's only one thing
on Ben Polson's mind.

There's $300,000
up Mount Midoriyama.

That's got my name on it.

Ben and girlfriend Olivia Vivian

will take to the course
after the break.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(THEME MUSIC)

Welcome back to Ninja Warrior.

We're back, a big, brand-new season,

and haven't we already seen

some amazing highlights tonight,
Rebecca Maddern?

Yeah, well, strap yourselves in
for this next woman.

It is the first woman to ever
make it to the grand final.

On the way there,
this Ninja favourite

even backflipped her way
up the Warped Wall.

Of course, it is Olivia Vivian!

This is for history.

Yes, she's got it!
And she's got it!

What! What! Yes!
Oh, my goodness!

OLIVIA: When season two came out,

the messages of support
and encouragement

from girls all over the country
and parents as well,

it melted my heart.

I saw you do the backflip.
You saw me?

They want to know how I did
the backflip up the wall. (LAUGHS)

I tell them,
"With a lot of practice."

This year, it's gonna come down to
how I mentally approach that course,

and I've learned that I do that best
when I have fun.

(LAUGHTER)

For season three Ninja Warrior,
my goal is to win it.

I think it's really important
to state that goal.

I'm putting it out there.
I want to win.

I want to be the first female
to win, ever.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Here she is, Australia's
most successful female Ninja.

People are expecting big things
from this young lady.

BEN: Perth's own Olivia Vivian.

Is she gonna do the backflip tonight?

Who knows?
She's gotta get there first.

Gotta get past the Spinball Wizard.

It must be hard for Olivia,

coming into this competition
as the best-ranked female.

There's a lot of pressure
on her shoulders right now.

She's also been responsible for

a number of other women around
Australia signing up and saying,

"Righto, I want to prove
that I can do one better.

(CROWD CHEERING)

So light on her feet.

And so smart.

Testing the tramp.
Getting ready for the Swing Surfer.

And the run-up here...

Everything you've got.
BEN F: is crucial.

Well, you've got to be cautious.
Really cautious.

We know she's got the skills,
but in Ninja,

all it takes is one tiny mistake.

(CROWD CHEERING)
Oh, smooth as you like.

One of the smoothest landings
we've had so far.

BEN P: Big jump. Come on.

Oh, she gets.
Yes, Olivia. Great work.

BEN F: Well done, Olivia.
Turns the corner.

She is taking her time
on this run tonight

before she gets to
the next obstacle.

Work out your steps, babe.

The Tuning Forks.

BEN F: And remember,
it's Furthest Fastest,

that's what we're looking for.

But you need accuracy
on this obstacle.

Come on, Olivia.

She's got it. One...

Dancing, dancing, yes!

She's a star.

And she loves it. They love her.

BEN F: Ben Polson...
BEN P: Come on, babe.

BEN F: giving her every bit
of support.

And now she shakes out those hands
and gets ready for the Rolling Steel.

This is where another strong female
contender, Mel Armstrong, came off.

Legs, legs, legs, legs.

And arms, Ben,
pushing it, pushing it.

She's near the end,
just needs to make the dismount.

Gee, I'm nervous for Olivia
at this point.

Bigger swing than you think.

That's it, come on. Yeah!

Yep. Olivia Vivian.
BEN F: She's there!

She's showing the best
how it's done.

Spinball Wizard.

Only three Ninjas have made it
through this obstacle so far tonight.

Ah, now, you know why she is
shaking her hands out like that?

It's really cold here in Melbourne
tonight,

and the later it gets,
the colder it gets.

We can see the pressure
building on her

as she's at
the second-last obstacle.

And here's where experience
plays a part.

She's taken a lot of time
to prepare herself.

(CROWD CHANTING)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Onto the handlebars, no problem.

No problem gripping them,
but now they twist.

Work it out. Get a feel for it!

BEN F: She's gonna need to
straighten them up.

Ooh...

And now, only one more lache,
and then she is at the walls.

Come on...

Yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

She knows that that's the moment...
Yes!

..where she's now going to face
the Warped Wall.

Will she be the first female
up there this season?

CROWD: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Yes, Olivia. Yes, Olivia!
You can go the Mega!

She's gonna skip
the Mega Warped Wall.

Oh, she goes and has
a little look at it.

Yes, Olivia.
CROWD: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

She's playing it safe.
Come on, babe.

Bec, we know she can do this.

Oh, she can backflip up it.

Who knows what she's got
in store for us?

She grabs it. She gets it.
She's there.

Oh, she's just done the splits.
What? Hang on a moment.

Hey!
Hey there, Olivia.

The first woman up the Warped Wall
this series!

Yeah! (SCREAMS)
Olivia Vivian!

The game changer
and the record breaker

is into the semifinals
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Sensational stuff.
What was the hardest part?

I need to do more cardio.

(LAUGHS) We all need to
do more cardio, Olivia.

For me,
I think dealing with the cold.

Like, I got to this last wizard one,
I couldn't feel my fingers,

so it was a matter of just
keeping calm, taking it slow,

making sure I got here.

Did you think about
that Mega Warped Wall,

or was that never on the menu?

I did, but I wanted this more.

And I'm going for the big money,
so, five grand?

Come on.
Well...

It's nothing compared to $300,000,
is it?

That was absolutely sensational.

One of the top women
in the competition,

and she is back for season three.

This woman is unbelievable.

Last year, she was the first woman

to get up the Warped Wall
in the heats,

and this year,
she has done exactly that again.

Ahh!
(SCREAMS AND LAUGHS)

Oh...

Oh, I'm so proud of you. Congrats.

Alright, you two. Break it up,
break it up. Break it up.

Come here, Olivia.
Ahh!

Boyfriend Ben, have you got any
advice for him going into this?

I'm just so excited
I got to go before him

and now the pressure's off me!
(LAUGHS)

But he's... I truly believe in him.
He's got this.

Do you feel the pressure, Ben?

Oh...
Now the missus has gone through?

After watching that, I sure do.
Far out. That was incredible.

Nah, I'm super stoked for her,
honestly.

She's worked her absolute ass off,

and here she is,
just sending it up that wall,

super proud of you, honestly.
That was amazing.

As Ben makes his way
to the start line,

we'll take a look at
the leaderboard.

The incredible Olivia Vivian is now
fourth fastest of the night,

pushing Olympian John Steffensen
into fifth position.

BEN: Stewart Furze and Cam D'Silva
have an anxious wait,

as they're sitting in 16 and 17,

with only the top 18 progressing
to the semis.

We will find out if Ben can match
Olivia's performance right now.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Full confidence. Full confidence.

Here he is, Ben Polson.

Blitzed it in season one.

Season two, he had a little mistake
in the grand final,

dipping his toe in the water
on the Salmon Ladder.

So this is the start of retribution
for Ben.

Olivia just had time
to put a warm jacket on.

Now she's in supporter mode,

because here goes her boyfriend
on the Floating Steps.

And if he wants to go
one better than Olivia,

he's got to go up
the Mega Warped Wall.

Ben Polson, one of the taller
athletes in this competition.

6'5. Our tallest Ninja.

And one of the favourites.
And here he is.

Look at that for a leap! Wow!

He's nearly on the other side
already! Did you see that?

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
Ben Polson. Confident start.

You're absolutely right, Freddie.

And he is currently matching
Jordan Papandrea's time.

This bloke won't have a problem.

Oh, he's straight through
the Tuning Forks.

Can't keep up with this lad.

Now, look at that for speed!

Legs going, arms going,

putting a show on tonight,
Ben Polson. Full of confidence!

That is the quickest time
we've seen on that obstacle.

Now 13 seconds faster than Jordan.

Look how strong he is
through the air!

There is no doubt
this guy is one of the best.

Oh, hang on a minute.
He's got the wobbles.

I was gonna say no doubt.

He's twisting and turning.

Oh! And you know what? That wingspan,
and the size of him...

He's got such an advantage.
Doesn't he have an advantage?

OK.
On that obstacle, at least.

Beat that wall!

Girlfriend on the sideline,
Olivia Vivian,

already made it up
the little Warped Wall.

Ben Polson, you've got to think,

is just going Mega for five grand.
You've got this, babe!

He has to, Freddie. His height
will work well for him now.

Psyching himself up. 5.25m...
One go. I bet you.

Yes! He's there!

And Ben Polson has nailed
the Mega Warped Wall!

$5,000 to you, Ben Polson!

Oh, my god!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

We were wondering whether you could
do one better than Olivia.

You did.

Is that enough?
That's 1m.

Yeah, he didn't do the splits,
though.

That's true.
(LAUGHS)

How are you feeling, mate?
(LAUGHS)

I feel amazing. You know?

I believed in myself.

Come out here, I think I've
done that. I'm super stoked.

This is one buzzer.

I've got many more buzzers to go,
don't you worry.

That's what we like to hear.
Love it.

Congratulations, mate.

And with that time,
he's really laid down the gauntlet

for the likes of Ashlin Herbert,
Rob Patterson

and all our other superstar Ninjas.

And up next, it's the one
we've all been waiting for.

The legend that is the Deadly Ninja.

Jack Wilson is back on Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(TENSE MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Warrior
in Melbourne.

Get ready, we've got something
special for you right now.

Well, Jack is back, Australia.

It is time for the Deadly Ninja.

This two-time grand finalist

wants to give Australia
the winner it deserves.

The man, the legend - Jack Wilson.
Come on, Jack!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

JACK: My performance in the Ninja
Warrior season two, I loved it.

The one, the only, Jack Wilson!

Over the past two years,

I've had the pleasure to travel
across the whole of Australia,

into rural communities,
working with Indigenous people

and share my passion,
which is health and wellbeing.

A lot of my training has been in

doing a lot of workouts
on the outdoor equipment.

Lots of rope climbing.
Mount Midoriyama. (LAUGHS)

It's the best I've felt in my life.

I am the Deadly Ninja.

I am back for season three,
and I'm bringing it home.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Easy work, Jack Wilson. Let's go,
bud. The Deadly Ninja all the way.

Well, Jack Wilson has certainly
made a name for himself

on the global Ninja stage,

representing Australia
alongside Olivia Vivian,

Ashlin Herbert, Bryson Klein
and Ben Polson.

We've all seen how they've gone
in the heats.

You can only imagine
what we are about to witness.

And I've got to say,

it's looking particularly cold
in Melbourne tonight.

I'm not sure the budgie smugglers
are the go in weather like this.

Bloomin' heck, Jack.

Easy work, brother! Easy work!

That's his brother Jesse and dad
Warren on the sideline tonight.

Look at him look up towards the sky.

He wants it.

Jack, this is your time.
This is your moment.

Well, he has been dreaming about
this moment since last year.

Easy work, Jack! Let's go, brother!

(TIMER BEEPS)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Here we go. Jack Wilson.

Jack Wilson.
We have been waiting for you.

One of our stronger Ninjas
from season one and season two.

And with that,
his first obstacle is down.

And you get a sense that we're
gonna be watching a lot of him

over the next few weeks,

but you can't afford to make
any mistake in your heat.

All the way! Launch!

Because celebrity status and
past form doesn't mean anything.

Yes, Jack!

Oh, no!
Oh, what?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

That is the biggest shock
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Damn!

A grand finalist into the pool
on the second obstacle,

and not only a grand finalist,
he is one of the favourites.

Jack Wilson looks like he's out.

Completely out.

Spewin'!

And the crowd goes completely silent.

We are devastated.

Have a look at the faces
around the crowd.

Jack.
Hey.

I did not expect to be giving you
a towel after the second obstacle.

I suppose you're as shocked
as anyone else.

Yeah. Ah...

Freddie, mate,
anything can happen out there.

You know, I didn't go...
That didn't go to plan.

Simple mistakes, you know,
can happen.

And that's the Ninja beauty. Like,
anything can happen out there.

Happens to the best of us, you know?

But, fell in the water,
still happy to be here.

We're gonna replay what happened.

If you want to talk us through it,

what was going through your head
as you bounced off the trampoline?

Yeah, I just, uh...

I think I just overrode it
to the right a bit.

It just flung me a little bit, yeah.

And before I knew it,

you know, I was just stumbling
out of there, yeah.

And you must have trained so hard

over the past year as well
for this moment, too.

Of course, mate.
I love Ninja Warrior.

I love what it's done for me.

It's allowed me to impact children,

impact our elders,
and do what I love.

And what's next for Jack Wilson?

Oh, mate,
just gonna continue to train,

continue to travel
and teach what I know

and share the vision and belief.

You know, you've just got to get up
and keep walking and keep going.

Well, we're sad to see you go.
Big shock.

But, Jack, always a pleasure
to see you. Cheers.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Good work, Jackie. Good boy.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(INAUDIBLE)

Whoo! (LAUGHS)

Yes! Yes! Whoo!

Well, that wraps up another
thrilling Ninja Warrior heat, Bec.

Let's check out the final
leaderboard.

After Jack's shock exit,

The Furbinator, Stewart Furze,

scrapes into the semifinals
in 18th place.

Same goes for Cam D'Silva in 17th.

Aqua Duck Trudie Horskins
swims in at 13th.

Dhani Johnson found his home
among the gum trees in 10th.

Sprinter John Steffensen is sixth.

And Olivia's great run

puts her in fifth position,

but boyfriend Ben Polson was
40 seconds faster than the rest

and claims top spot.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

The bar has been set higher than
anyone would have expected,

with plenty of speed, strength and
agility on display from our Ninjas.

These behind are the 18 making it
through to the semifinals,

with special mentions, firstly,
to Olivia Vivian,

for blowing our minds once again,

this time doing the splits
up the Warped Wall.

So, too, our returning
grand finalists Alex and Jordan,

who powered through the course

and made it to the top
of the Mega Warped Wall,

and in doing so,
earned five grand each.

But tonight's show was stolen
by Ben Polson.

He went through the course, made it
to the top of the Mega Warped Wall

over 40 seconds faster
than any other Ninja,

and, in doing so,
is obviously our Furthest Fastest.

Ben, get up here, kid.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Ben, you blitzed the course tonight.

But how much more
have you got left in?

Look, I've got a lot left
in the tank.

You know,
Australia wants a winner this year.

We're in the heart of Melbourne.

I want to see a winner.
I hope it's me.

Fingers crossed.
Let's see what happens.

Well, we've heard it from
Ben Polson.

Australia wants a winner.

That's all from us down here
tonight.

Ben and Bec, back to you.

Good man, Freddie.

So far this season, we've met
some great new competitors.

But I've got to say, Bec, it's been
some of those returning Ninjas

who've really stolen the show
tonight.

They have got their eye
on the prize, Ben,

and I can't wait to see who will be
the last Ninja standing.

So, you better join us tomorrow night
for lots more Ninja action

right here
on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Goodnight!
Goodnight!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Tomorrow night, it's the heat
everyone will be talking about.

I can't believe it!
The greatest save in history!

Fighting for a semifinal spot,
Olympic champion Lydia Lassila.

Ninja Warrior is really
the ultimate test for an athlete.

The inspirational Max Closter.

MAX: I never used to talk at all.

That was... That was a struggle.

And Ninja's two biggest super fans,

Nathan Burley and Todd Smith.

I'm the biggest Ninja Warrior fan.

I'm the biggest Ninja Warrior fan,
mate.

As long as we both hit the buzzer,
man.

Yeah, that's it.
I'll just do it in a better time.

Plus, more previous finalists
determined to go all the way.

The big goal is to get to
the grand final this year

and go that step further
than I have the last two years.

With a guaranteed $100,000
up for grabs,

the battle is on to become
Australia's first Ninja Warrior.