Adrian Street death: Welsh wrestling legend famed for 'ripping out Jimmy Savile's hair' dead at 82

Welsh professional wrestling legend Adrian Street, who is renowned for 'ripping out Jimmy Savile's hair', has died at the age of 82.

The tragic news was confirmed by his family, who revealed that Street died in late July at Cwmbran's Grange University Hospital. He had suffered a stroke earlier in the month which left him with a bleed on the brain, before developing colitis which later became sepsis whilst recovering from surgery.

Street cemented himself as one of the most famous faces of British wrestling, with fans taking a liking to his 'exotic' look which included clipped pigtails, as well as his flamboyant ways of winning matches. He'd famously attempt to kiss his opponents to avoid getting pinned.

Over a career spanning decades, Street started out at the age of 17 in 1957 when he made appearances in wrestling shows in the UK, the US, Europe and South America. But his most famous and recalled moment took place in 1971, when he was booked to take on TV host Jimmy Savile.

The pro-wrestler put Savile through his paces over the course of the bout as he was angered after the bosses told him the match should end in a draw. Street dropped him on his head on several occasions and even tore off some of his hair, leading Savile to never return to a wrestling ring ever again.

Recalling the incident to Wales Online in 2013, Street said: "The promoters were trying to put Savile across as a bit of tough guy in those days and they were trying to get other proper wrestlers to throw their matches with him – it was all part of some big stupid gimmick. And when I found out I was up against him next, I wasn’t very happy, not least because I’d just beaten world lightweight champion George Kidd at Nottingham Ice Rink the night before. In fact, I’d put him in hospital.”

"His cronies were telling me, ‘Don’t underestimate Jim, he’s trained with the Royal Marines’, but I was having none of it. I kicked his legs from underneath him so he hit the deck, then I picked him up by his hair, held him upside down and dropped him on his skull.

He continued: "Then, when I looked down at my hands, I realised they were covered in hair – Savile’s. I’d torn huge clumps out of his scalp. I absolutely crucified the bloke and when I spoke to my wife afterwards, she said I’d looked like a hungry fox going after a chicken. Savile never returned to the wrestling ring after that and I never clapped eyes on him again."

Adrian Street decided to venture into coaching after retiring from the squared circle, managing a wrestling academy in Florida. He later starred in a documentary focusing on his life, You May Be Pretty, But I Am Beautiful: The Adrian Street Story, which aired in 2019.