JUNGLE BOY MEETS MUM IN WESTON SHOOTOUT

GOLD Coaster Daniel ‘Tarzaniel’ Weston will compete against his mum when he returns to take on Mt Midoriyama in the second season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

In a face-off billed as “Australia’s greatest new rivalry”, Weston, 20, will compete against his mum Michelle Weston, 45, when the second series of Channel 9’s hit obstacle challenge screens from Sunday, July 8

“I’d be pretty happy actually if I did beat him,” Michelle says in a new promo for the show.

“It’d be pretty funny,” Daniel says. “I don’t think that’s gonna happen.” Last year’s inaugural series is in the running to be named Most Popular Entertainment Program at Sunday’s first-ever Gold Coast TV Week Logie Awards. Tarzaniel and some of his fellow locals back for season two — including Jack ‘Deadly Ninja’ Wilson, Burleigh lifesaver and professional jet skier Ryan Solomon and Parkour twins Brodie and Dylan Pawson — might even make a surprise appearance at the event.

The new series sees them join more Coast competitors in the field of 500 hopefuls (50 more than last year). including a Viking Warrior who moved here from Norway — yogi Dr Espen Hjalmby. Females make up 28 per cent of this year’s Aussie contenders.

The Ninja Warrior title is yet to be claimed by a woman in any of the 20 countries that produce versions of the show.

Former Blues rugby league hardman Paul Gallen will also take on the obstacle course this year.

The new season features an extra heat, an extra semifinal and a two-part grand final that will see last year’s unclaimed prizemoney jackpot to a $200,000 winner’s cheque this year.