by Richard Hawkes
For more than two decades, wrestling had been a mainstay of ITV’s programming, drawing in millions with its over-the-top personalities and dramatic showdowns. Then, in 1988, Greg Dyke pulled the plug, bringing an era to an abrupt end and sending British wrestling into a downward spiral. While the sport itself wasn’t outlawed—like it had been briefly in the 1940s—losing its prime-time television slot was a devastating blow. The sport had already been struggling to hold onto its audience, but being wiped from the airwaves made things even worse.
Wrestling had long been a British institution, with World of Sport giving it a home from 1965 until its final broadcast in 1988. Names like Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, and Kendo Nagasaki were etched into the memories of fans nationwide. But the landscape was shifting, and its time in the spotlight was running out.
(Note: This article does not concern the 2018 revival of World of Sport Wrestling, which was a separate production.)
The man who ultimately axed British wrestling from ITV was Greg Dyke, who at the time was Director of Programs for London Weekend Television (LWT). LWT controlled ITV’s weekend schedule for London and the surrounding areas, and Dyke had a strong hand in shaping what was shown. It wasn’t that he had a personal vendetta against wrestling, but from a programming standpoint, he saw it as an outdated relic. The documentary When Wrestling Was Golden highlighted the fact that viewership had dropped significantly, with ratings cut in half over the years.
In Simon Garfield’s book The Wrestling, Dyke explained the reasoning behind his move:
“When I took over in 1988, ITV was losing badly to the BBC. The network felt stuck in a bygone era, catering to an audience that was dwindling. Wrestling, in particular, never really held up as a legitimate sport, and that was part of the issue.”
“It wasn’t just wrestling. A lot of older game shows were also taken off the air. ITV needed a fresh approach, something more in line with modern entertainment, like high-end dramas.”
“By the late ‘80s, working-class interests had shifted. We needed to follow where they were going, not stay stuck in the past. Wrestling symbolized an older, outdated era of television that no longer fit the direction we wanted to take.”
To Dyke, wrestling represented the kind of programming ITV was trying to leave behind. His decision to axe it was part of a broader effort to modernize the network, much like his later involvement in reshaping English football and helping launch the Premier League.
Some wrestling fans blame ITV for destroying British wrestling, but in reality, the sport was already on a steep decline. If the demand had still been strong, another broadcaster like BBC or Channel 4 might have stepped in. But no one did.
When Sky launched in 1989, it did bring wrestling back to UK audiences—but not the British kind. Instead, it introduced viewers to WWF (now WWE), which was an entirely different beast. The production values were slicker, the action was faster, and the characters were grander than anything seen on ITV.
WWF wasn’t just bringing wrestling back—it was changing the entire perception of what wrestling could be. British wrestling, by comparison, looked sluggish and old-fashioned. And with WWF capturing audiences across all social classes, particularly through Sky Sports, there was little room left for the slower, more methodical British style.
With no TV exposure, British wrestling struggled to stay relevant. Small promotions continued running events, but without a major platform, interest waned. Meanwhile, American promotions like WWF and later WCW became dominant forces in the UK market.
A resurgence eventually took place in the 2000s and 2010s, thanks to the rise of independent promotions like Progress Wrestling, ICW, and RevPro. These companies helped rekindle interest in British wrestling, even leading ITV to attempt a World of Sport Wrestling revival in 2018—though it failed to gain traction. Despite its struggles, British wrestling’s legacy remains. Many of today’s top stars—Drew McIntyre, William Regal, and Pete Dunne, among others—got their start in the UK scene before making it big internationally.
Getting rid of World of Sport wrestling in 1988 wasn’t a random decision—it was part of a much bigger shift in television trends. Audiences were moving on, American wrestling was on the rise, and ITV was rebranding itself.
The golden era of British wrestling may be long gone, but the sport continues to live on through those who keep the tradition alive, even if it never quite reaches the heights it once did.
Comments