By day, Dundee presenter Alan Smith is the sensible voice of the news at Radio Tay.
But by night the station’s head of news dons his lycra as he transforms into his wrestling alter-ego Mr News.
With a title fight against his old foe Bravehart at the wrestling Uprising event in the Ardler Complex this weekend, Alan is getting himself fighting fit – in between bulletins.
“It was because of the radio I first got involved with Scottish Wrestling Entertainment,” the 30-year-old newshound said.
“Our breakfast presenter Stuart Webster knew I was a big wrestling fan. He said to the guys from SWE is you put Alan through training and put him in a match we will talk about it on the radio.
“That was four years ago now.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=L4U8XIhdnMc%3Flist%3DUUvYN4-RH1dbFRLciVUpS7mw
Initially only entering the ring for a one-off fight Alan is now a three-time heavyweight champion. To keep himself in shape he now has a personal trainer, goes to wrestling training three times a week as well as football.
“You have to keep fairly active,” he said. “I’ve started throwing in a bit of yoga too to keep me flexible.”
Alan and the other wrestlers are in fact so into yoga now that they have managed to secure former champion Diamond Dallas Page for a visit to Dundee later in the year.
“He’s developed his own sort of yoga which he’s been using to rehabilitate old wrestlers and those with drug and alcohol problems,” Alan said.
But before that Alan has the small matter of a grudge match against Bravehart this weekend which will be just one of a number spats at Uprising.
“We’ve started to do these monthly events at the Ardler Complex,” Alan said. “This year we’ve a European competition and two of the qualifiers for it this weekend.”
Alan insists that his day job and wrestling career do not interfere with each other but certain aspects of his newsgathering have made their way into the ring.
“I do one move called the tabloid splash,” he said. “There’s a huge difference though. You don’t normally put newsreaders and wrestlers together.”
For more on this weekend’s event visit www.sweonline.co.uk