James Hunter Crossley: From Gladiator Hunter to Handpan

Did you discover James Hunter Crossley through one of his YouTube videos, playing the handpan or gong? Want to learn more about this musician who was a TV star in the 1990s? How did he go from bodybuilding to sound therapy?

I first discovered James Hunter Crossley in November 2024, when he released the video "10 Minute Handpan Forest Meditation," and I immediately wanted to learn more about him. I quickly realized he’d already lived a packed life before becoming a truly accomplished handpan player, especially in sports and on television. In this article, I’ll walk you through everything I found.

As you read, you’ll learn:

• That James Hunter Crossley appeared on a British TV game show for several years
• That he made a major career change around 2020 to devote himself to sound therapy
• What makes up his discography

This will give you a clear picture of the journey and career of this percussionist, whose path is radically different from most other well-known handpan players. It’ll also help you understand the philosophy behind his music.

Now, let’s dive into James Hunter Crossley’s career.

From bodybuilding to the handpan, how did James Hunter Crossley discover this musical instrument?

Born in York, England, on June 12, 1973, James Hunter Crossley built his reputation primarily in the world of bodybuilding. Driven by a passion for the sport, he gradually forged an iron physique in his youth, which opened the door to television. He played the character Hunter on the British show Gladiators for about seven years, from 1993 to 2000. In the show, four contestants faced Gladiators—athletes with extraordinary physiques—in endurance and strength challenges. James Hunter Crossley was one of those Gladiators, regularly taking on challengers. You can see him in this archive clip:

A little later, still in the world of sports but also moving into teaching and coaching, in 2008 James Hunter Crossley contributed to a fitness DVD designed to help people over 40 get back in shape through exercise.

But sports aren’t his only passion. For many years, sound and music have also played an important role in James Hunter Crossley’s life. Alongside his athletic career, he became a professional percussionist and guitarist, performing in clubs around the world, notably in Croatia and England. He also worked for two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, touring in the United States.

However, after a string of physical injuries tied to his strength sport, as well as the pause in competitions during COVID-19 lockdowns, James Hunter Crossley’s outlook on his career began to shift. He felt a natural need to change direction and turned to yoga and mindfulness. He then traveled to Bali for a yoga training program. During that stay, he discovered gong baths and the benefits they can bring through sound therapy. He noticed positive effects on sleep, stress, and overall well-being. As a result, over the next four years, he trained extensively with gongs, including one year at the College of Sound, where he led hundreds of hours of workshops and events using this percussion instrument.

In 2021, he founded the Sound Healing Teacher Training, a school for training sound bath practitioners based in southwest London. It was during this time that he began using various musical instruments related to sound therapy and sound relaxation, in addition to the gong, including the handpan. Particularly drawn to the handpan, he focused on developing his skills, eventually becoming excellent and opening his own handpan school under the name London Handpan Academy. There, he shares his methods alongside Malte Marten, another outstanding hang drum player.

What is this artist and percussionist’s discography?

In the world of the handpan, James Hunter Crossley became widely known thanks to his duo, The Handpan Gentlemen, which he formed with Seraphim Zlatev. Their video, simply titled "10 Minute Handpan Forest Meditation," released on November 10, 2024, was a huge success, reaching more than 1 million views. That’s actually how I discovered the full talent of these two musicians. Give this melody a listen just below—it's easily one of 2024’s standout handpan moments.

Beyond this undeniable hit, James Hunter Crossley’s discography really picked up starting in 2024. He produced several projects focused on meditation and sound relaxation, and he also appeared on collaborative tracks with other musicians, such as Thomas Farinelli on “Island Melodies,” or hŶdravox, Tibirica Carvalho & Thomas Farinelli on “Echoes of Stillness.” As a solo artist, he also released tracks between 2024 and 2026, such as:

• Lotus Dream
• Unfolding
• Freedom To Flow
• Harmonic Bliss
• and Sweet Child of Mine

Today, he continues to share his passion for music and sound therapy through his YouTube channel and social media, where he regularly posts new content. You can also attend handpan lessons or gong bath sessions that he hosts regularly in and around London, England.

Experience a unique sensory journey with a high-quality handpan

James Hunter Crossley didn’t come to the handpan by chance or as a passing trend. His journey shows a coherent evolution: from the body to sound, from competition to listening, from mainstream television to a more intimate and immersive musical practice. Through this short but information-rich article, you now have a strong overview of this percussionist’s unusual career path.

That said, if you want to extend the sonic experience James Hunter Crossley shares through his videos, there’s nothing like treating yourself to a beautiful handpan to create gentle, enchanting melodies. With that in mind, I strongly recommend checking out the Instruments du Monde store, which offers dozens of superbly tuned handpan models. For example, there’s this stunning Low Pygmy-tuned handpan with exceptional acoustics.

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Would you like to meet the world’s youngest popular handpan player? His name is Sunni Holden, an Australian boy who was barely ten years old when he discovered this percussion instrument. Thanks to the melodies he composes, he is now recognized worldwide as an outstanding hang drum player, rivaling the biggest names currently active in the field.