Eight unclued entries are of a kind. Their unchecked letters can be rearranged to spell out ‘A DISBELIEVING GAUL COULD ACT’.

Across

1    Protecting bats utterly absorbs adult (8)

5    Kind of frightening when blowing top (6)

14    Guy ignoring both sides of family (3)

16    Endorse leaders of alternative fuel company (6)

17    Radium finally corroded two bones (5)

20    Tell of knight advancing in rank and energy (7)

22    Channel Islands and Reims manufactured helmet trimmings (7)

24    Regard cycling as threat (7)

25    Blacklegs that you shouldn’t pick? (5)

26    Masses collapse, heading to the finish (5)

31    Light stake held in both hands by Newton (7)

33    I barter...