Back in 2012 I was enjoying (my one and only) sabbatical, and living in a rambling old (probably haunted!) house in the Lincolnshire countryside. I came across two guys - John and Wai - in Toronto who made a wrestling podcast. I listened each week, trying to get up to speed with this new art form that I was now studying. Fast forward eight years and I had the privilege of being on their podcast POST Wrestling with Sam West (Wrestling Resurgence producer) to talk about the project, the future (or otherwise) of British Wresting, and the brave voices of the #SpeakingOut movement. Check out the interview with Martin Bushby here.

Over the past 24 hours, British Wrestling has witnessed some serious allegations. I have always celebrated wrestling's collegial embodied practices, its diversity, its promotion of health and fitness, the laughter, the joy of cheering and booing. Despite this, I recognise it has, historically, had a seriously dark underside of misogyny, violence and bullying. My sincere, and perhaps naive, hope was that this darkness had been eradicated. Clearly, not yet...

Wrestling Resurgence puts out and stands by the following statement:

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Led by our new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer (Dr Juliette Taylor-Batty), the Executive Committee of the British Association of Modernist Studies have published a statement on recent events. Over the past month I have been challenged to listen more and speak less. But I also recognise the need to speak. So I am very glad to promote this statement and stand by its contents.