Life
Colin Bryce is the co-owner and live host of the Giants Live World’s Strongest Man Arena Tour, as well as the commentator of the much-loved World’s Strongest Man TV shows that air each Christmas. What many people may not realise is that prior to his promoting and commentary career, Colin was a Britain’s Strongest Man finalist and a 2002 Winter Olympian in two-man bobsleigh.
Colin was born in Newcastle in 1974, raised in Craigie, Perthshire and for a spell, Pennsylvania. Strongman has always been a big part of Colin’s life. He has participated in almost every facet of the sport; competitor; organiser; promoter; emcee; tv producer; commentator and even referee!
Career
Growing up around his close friend, the late Dr Douglas Edmunds, “The Godfather of Strongman,” Colin worked on the shows as a teenager and even competed at the 1997 World’s Strongest Man finals in Las Vegas, as a reserve. There are not many people who have attended more WSM’s than Brycey!
He competed extensively in athletics and Scottish Highland Games whilst studying at Glasgow University and soon after moved into strongman where he reached Britain’s Strongest Man’s final in 1999. Realising, perhaps, that strongman was not the best vehicle for his athletic talents, Colin crossed over into winter sports, competing internationally for several years in bobsleigh, before ending up in the commentary booth for Eurosport and the BBC.
Colin worked for the Strongman Super Series for several years before starting Giants Live in 2009 as a series of qualifying contests for World’s Strongest Man. Teaming up with Darren Sadler enabled the tour to grow into the large-scale arena series that has attracted the biggest crowds ever seen at strength contests.
Since 2005 Colin has worked as head referee at World’s Strongest Man, and most recently, as Tournament Director.
Best Title
Colin represented Great Britain at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, in the two-man bobsleigh, as a brakeman. What made this achievement most remarkable, was that just five months prior to the games Colin suffered a potentially career ending dislocation of his left ankle and spiral fracture of his fibula.
Competition Results
Personal Best Lifts
Competition Lifts
74.35m Húsafell Stone Carry at the 1999 Britain’s Strongest Man Finals. This carry caused slight controversy as at the time it was thought to be a world record, although the competitors were allowed to lift the stone from a plinth, rather than the floor.
As a 21-year-old, Colin became the youngest man ever to successfully lift all five of the McGlashen Stones, a feat he accomplished at the Callendar World Highland Games. His record was short-lived however, as his good friend Gregor Edmunds, at just 19, was to repeat Colin’s achievement.
Training Lifts
Retirement
Colin has still to retire from competition and competes annually at the Harpendon Highland Games. His last bobsleigh contest was at the 2004 World Championships in Königssee, Germany. He has recently developed a passion for tennis which he enjoys playing with his wife and two children.
Present Day
With Giants Live still expanding its arena tour and new venues appearing on the calendar, Colin is busier than ever promoting contests, commentating and emceeing. On 9th July 2022, Giants Live will return to The Royal Albert Hall, nearly 120 years since the Grand Competition of 1903, featuring strength legend, Eugene Sandow. A little-known fact is that Colin brought strongman back to Madison Square Garden exactly 100 years since the previous contest, in 1908.
In the media
Colin has made numerous TV appearances in recent years, including TV appearances on ITV’s Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, BBC’s Superstars, CBBC’s Airmageddon and Channel 5’s World’s Strongest Man.
His commentary work includes World Cup Tour Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton for Eurosport as well as BBC’s summer and winter Olympic coverage.
Colin also appeared in the 2015 Netflix documentary hit, Eddie – Strongman.
He continues in his role as Tournament Director of World’s Strongest Man and will host and commentate the World’s Strongest Man TV shows on Channel 5.
