Celebrity Wrestling
Encyclopedia
Celebrity Wrestling is a British television programme, broadcast on ITV
in 2005. It involved two teams of celebrities, competing against each other in wrestling
style events. The series was presented by Kate Thornton
and Rowdy Roddy Piper. British mixed martial arts
fighter Ian Freeman
was the show's referee.
The aftershow programme on ITV2
, called Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On was presented by Jack Osbourne
and Holly Willoughby
. The winning team was The Warriors and the winning wrestlers were Annabel Croft
(Solitaire) and Iwan Thomas
(The Dragon).
After five weeks the show was moved from its primetime Saturday evening slot to a graveyard Sunday morning slot due to its extremely poor ratings and being comprehensively beaten in audience share by Doctor Who
on BBC One
.
It was received with a feeling of derision by professional wrestling
fans, due to the lack of actual wrestling content. The show featured heavily upon games which involved grappling and the real life interactions of team members in training (and usually not the training process itself).
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 2005. It involved two teams of celebrities, competing against each other in wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
style events. The series was presented by Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton is an English journalist and television presenter. Early in her career, she was notable for her articles at the Daily Mirror and for her role as editor of Smash Hits magazine...
and Rowdy Roddy Piper. British mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter Ian Freeman
Ian Freeman
Ian William Freeman, a.k.a. "The Machine," is a retired English mixed martial artist. He used to fight as a light heavyweight for Cage Rage. He was their final British Light Heavyweight champion....
was the show's referee.
The aftershow programme on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
, called Celebrity Wrestling: Bring It On was presented by Jack Osbourne
Jack Osbourne
Jack Joseph Osbourne is an English media personality, best known as the son of musician Ozzy Osbourne and music manager Sharon Osbourne, and brother of Aimee and Kelly Osbourne.-Early life and family:...
and Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
. The winning team was The Warriors and the winning wrestlers were Annabel Croft
Annabel Croft
Annabel Croft is a former professional tennis player and current radio and television presenter. As a tennis player she won the WTA Tour event Virginia Slims of San Diego and represented Great Britain in the Fed Cup and the Wightman Cup.After retiring from tennis, she turned to television...
(Solitaire) and Iwan Thomas
Iwan Thomas
Iwan Gwyn Thomas MBE is a sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 m, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is the current UK record holder at 400 m with a time of 44.36 seconds and is a former European and Commonwealth games champion...
(The Dragon).
After five weeks the show was moved from its primetime Saturday evening slot to a graveyard Sunday morning slot due to its extremely poor ratings and being comprehensively beaten in audience share by Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
It was received with a feeling of derision by professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
fans, due to the lack of actual wrestling content. The show featured heavily upon games which involved grappling and the real life interactions of team members in training (and usually not the training process itself).
The Crusaders
This team was trained by wrestler D'Lo BrownD'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
- Jeff BrazierJeff BrazierJeffrey Carl Brazier is a British television presenter and reality TV star. Before becoming a television personality, he was a footballer on the books of Leyton Orient for three years, although he never played for the first team and quit the game due to injury.-Career:In 2001, Brazier took part in...
- Pocket Rocket - Tiffany ChapmanTiffany ChapmanTiffany Chapman is an English actress. She played Rachel Jordache in the soap opera Brookside from 1993 until the show's conclusion in 2003...
- Princess of Power - Leilani DowdingLeilani DowdingLeilani Dowding is an English former Page Three girl, glamour model, television celebrity, and Miss Universe contestant.-Early life:...
- The Vixen - Mikey Green - Wild Boy
- Michelle HeatonMichelle HeatonMichelle Christine Heaton is a British pop singer, television personality, and recently a glamour model as well. She was married to former boyband member Andy Scott-Lee.-Career:...
- Inferno - James HewittJames HewittJames Hewitt is a former British household cavalry officer in the British Army. He had an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales for five years, receiving extensive media coverage after revealing details of the affair.-Early life:...
- Gentleman Jim - Jenny PowellJenny PowellJenny Powell , is a British television presenter.-Early life:Powell's parents are from South Africa, she attended Woodford County High School for Girls in Woodford Green and the Italia Conti school in London.-Career:...
- The Avenger - Lee SharpeLee SharpeLee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...
- Sharpe Shooter - Scott Wright - Snake Eyes
The Warriors
This team was trained by wrestler Joe Legend- Marc BannermanMarc BannermanMarc Bannerman is a UK based actor. His most notable role has been his portrayal of Gianni di Marco in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. Bannerman's character was introduced in 1998, but was axed three years later by the executive producer of EastEnders, John Yorke...
- El Diablo - Annabel CroftAnnabel CroftAnnabel Croft is a former professional tennis player and current radio and television presenter. As a tennis player she won the WTA Tour event Virginia Slims of San Diego and represented Great Britain in the Fed Cup and the Wightman Cup.After retiring from tennis, she turned to television...
- Solitaire - Female winner - Kate LawlerKate LawlerKate Louise Lawler is an English reality TV personality, DJ, and model. She was the first female winner of Big Brother UK, winning the third season of the reality television show. Since leaving Big Brother, she has worked as a television presenter and personality, a model and as a disc jockey...
- The Brawler - Shauna LowryShauna LowryShauna Lowry is a television presenter from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is probably most famous for being the reporter on the popular BBC series, Animal Hospital and ITV 1's Style Challenge. She also presented the National Lottery and presented coverage of Northern Ireland's celebrations on...
- Tigress - Victoria SilvstedtVictoria SilvstedtKaren Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
- Ice Maiden - Oliver SkeeteOliver SkeeteOliver Skeete is a British showjumper turned reality show contestant and actor.-Biography:One of a family of 10 , Skeete travelled to England in September 1964 to join his parents who had settled in Acton, West London, and attended local schools to the age of fifteen...
- Rebel Rider - Iwan ThomasIwan ThomasIwan Gwyn Thomas MBE is a sprinter who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 m, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is the current UK record holder at 400 m with a time of 44.36 seconds and is a former European and Commonwealth games champion...
- The Dragon - Male winner - Phil Turner - The Handy Man
- Mark SpeightMark SpeightMark Warwick Fordham Speight was an English television presenter, best known as the host of children's art programme SMart. Speight grew up in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, and left school at 16 to become a cartoonist...
- The Quickdraw Kid
The Masked Celebrity
Each week there was a "mystery celebrity" who joined in the wrestling. The celebrities included:- Fatima WhitbreadFatima WhitbreadFatima Whitbread MBE is a British former javelin thrower and multiple medal-winner.-Early life:...
- John FashanuJohn FashanuJohn "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
- Neil RuddockNeil RuddockNeil "Razor" Ruddock is a retired English footballer, who played as a central defender.He made his debut at Millwall , and he had a long career playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Liverpool, West Ham, Crystal Palace, and finally a short-lived spell as a player/coach at Swindon Town Neil...
- Antonia OkonmaAntonia OkonmaAntonia Okonma is a British actress of Nigerian descent. She is best known for playing the role of Darlene Cake in the ITV1 series Bad Girls from 2004–2006....
- Terri DwyerTerri DwyerTeresa "Terri" Dwyer is an English actress. She is best known for her role in the in the British soap opera, Hollyoaks as Ruth Osborne.-Career:...
- Fran CosgraveFran CosgraveFran Cosgrave is an Irish nightclub owner, famous for appearing on reality television programmes and being the former Westlife bodyguard.-Biography:Cosgrave won the first season of ITV's Celebrity Love Island reality show in 2005...
Other Participants
- Model Emma BEmma B (Blocksage)Emma Blocksage, better known as Emma B , is an English model and TV presenter. Since her entry into the entertainment industry in 1995, she has appeared on numerous magazine covers and TV programs...
took part in one episode as a replacement for Victoria SilvstedtVictoria SilvstedtKaren Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
using the character name Queen Bee. - Radio DJ Toby AnstisToby AnstisToby Anstis is a radio presenter on Global Radio's Heart Network of stations. He presents his morning show weekdays from 10.00am - 1.00pm across the Heart branded network....
was set to appear in the series, but had to pull out when he broke two of his fingers. - The UK PitbullsUK PitbullsThe UK Pitbulls were a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of brothers Bulk and Big Dave . Their motto was "if we don't beat you, we eat you!". They held a number of titles in the United Kingdom, notably in their own promotion and in some minor United States promotions...
tag team appeared on the follow-up show with Jack Osbourne,but most serious wrestlers declined to appear.