Kelso's Linsey is bruised but unbeaten in Ninja Warrior show

Linsey, who is making a return to the show this season after making a decent first attempt in 2019, said the experience she’s gained in the intervening years has helped her confidence no end.

She began by taking on fellow Scot Shona McBean in the first race across the dreaded obstacle course.

Shona ended up in the water on the second obstacle, exactly where Linsey did the same thing three years ago, but this time managed to make it a couple of obstacles further.

She fell while transferring from the flywheel to the cargo net, suffering a black eye in the process.

Next, she was up against an “Elite Ninja”, Lynn Jung, who started off quickly, but fell off the course while trying to make up the gap on Linsey, who this time completed the course by mastering the warped wall and hitting the button to take her through to the final on Saturday, September 29.

She said: “It was great fun.

"I definitely went into it with more confidence, and I’ve done a lot more training, so I was enjoying it all more.”

Ali Hay, also of Kelso, blasted through the course in his first race, but fell while trying to catch up with his Elite Ninja Tim Champion, who beat him into second place in 2019’s series.

Despite that, Ali said: “This was the most fun I’ve ever had on Ninja Warrior.”

Ali is still in the running for the final, holding the current fastest time, but there’s still a couple of heats to go.