Les Battersby to make wrestling debut as fans say sport ‘has peaked’

Small-screen legend Les Battersby of Coronation Street fame is set to head into the squared circle for a wrestling match.

Fans of light sports entertainment and daytime soaps ought to strap themselves in for the fascinatingly strange crossover, which pits the fictional character, played by Bruce Jones, in the ring.

Debuting under the SOVPRO wrestling banner, who confirmed it was "not a drill" nor "a parody", it appears the soap opera star, who featured on Coronation Street from 1997 to 2008, is set to appear in a wrestling match.

READ MORE: Wrestling icon Sting announces retirement date as fans claim their 'childhood is dying'

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Set for a piece of the wrestling action in February of next year, Battersby was confirmed by the wrestling brand earlier today on X, formerly Twitter. Jokes about the "Batter" in "Battersby" soon followed.

An announcement from SOVPRO read: "This is not a drill. This is not a parody. From the infamous cobbles of Weatherfield, The Champion of the Rovers Return, THE Les Battersby makes his SOVPRO debut on Feb 18th."

The event, to be held in Manchester at the Trinity Sports Centre, was later confirmed by Bruce Jones himself, the man who played Lee Battersby for over a decade on screen. He took to X, formerly Twitter, and wrote: "Come and join the wrestlers and me as Les 18th February 2024 for my debut with SOVPRO."

Wrestling fans appear to believe the sport has peaked. One X user wrote: "Les Battersby will walk down the entrance aisle at SovPro on February 18th and I have no idea what to expect…"

Another joked: "Finally some real competition." Whether Bruce Jones, 70, will be throwing punches or just there in a commentary capacity, is yet to be seen. One X user even deemed the day a "bucket list" item.

As one legend of the screen debuts, another announces their retirement. Sting, the legendary wrestler who held titles with WCW and TNA, confirmed he would be concluding his career early next year.

Sting, also nicknamed The Icon, will hang up his boots in 2024, confirming his time with AEW would be the permanent conclusion of his wrestling career. He previously retired after four matches in an injury-plagued run in WWE back in 2016.

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