Walk Like a Panther

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1

(DRUMROLL)

(FANFARE PLAYS)

(MUSIC ENDS)

BIG DADDY:

We shall not be moved!

Easy! Easy! Easy!

Well, I'm on my way

to Heaven

We shall not be moved

On my way to Heaven

We shall not be moved

Just like a tree

That's standing

by the water side...

MARK (NARRATING): Professional

wrestling has existed

in the United Kingdom

for over 100 years.

In 1965, ITV's new show,

World of Sport,

brought wrestling

to the masses.

It became one of the most

popular shows on TV ever.

Sometimes bringing in

more viewers than the footie.

At 4:
00

on a Saturday afternoon,

every class of household would come

together to witness the glory.

MAN:
Come on, Ethel.

It's about to start.

We shall not be moved...

Come and get your own bloody biscuits then.

You pillock.

Just like a tree that's

standing by the water side...

Ehh!

Don't you dare.

Good boy.

Oi!

...standing by the water

side, we will not...

MARK (NARRATING):

Family, biscuits and a brew.

What more could you want?

- THE QUEEN:
Thank you.

- PRINCE PHILIP:
Thanks.

(FANFARE PLAYING ON TV)

- (GRUNTING)

- MARK (NARRATING): That's me, Mark Bolton,

in a grudge match

with my archenemy, Ted.

I was born to wrestle.

It's literally in me blood.

My dad, Trevor "Bulldog"

Bolton, led The Panthers,

a magnificent band

- of wrestling heroes...

- Yes!

and one terrifying villain.

- (GASPS)

- And the biggest hero of them all,

my best friend,

Ginger Frost.

Coming for you, Lesley Beck!

(DISTORTED SCREAM)

- (BONES CRUNCH)

- (MARK YELLS)

I'm Mark Bolton!

"Son of Bulldog."

Come on, Dad! Come on!

(CROWD CHEERING)

(YELLING TRIUMPHANTLY)

MARK (NARRATING):

When he wasn't in the ring,

you could find Ginger behind

the bar of The Half Nelson,

the pub that he ran,

- and also the center of our universe.

- (CHEERING)

TREVOR:
...down on me mush.

(GROANS)

So, crowd's

absolutely dead.

- Terrible, weren't it?

- TREVOR:
They think the title's gone.

- but little did they know, while he's showboating...

- Dad. Dad.

- Dad!

- Anyway, throws us off...

MARK:

Dad, let's wrestle, please.

TREVOR:

Not now, all right?

- Anyway...

- Come on!

Hey, hey.

Come on, Mark. Hey, hey.

(GINGER AND MARK GRUNTING)

- Dad, I've got Ginger!

- GINGER:
Oh, my God! He's got me!

- Mum!

- Go on, Mark!

- (CHATTERING)

- GINGER:
Submit!

- Mark's got me, Bulldog! (SHOUTS)

- Dad! Dad!

(MARK GROWLS)

MARK (NARRATING): But following a

scare from Ginger's dodgy ticker,

I took the reins,

and became the proud landlord

of The Half Nelson.

In 1988, World Of Sport

was canceled.

A nation's Saturday afternoon

was changed forever,

and my dream of wrestling

in the ring was shattered.

- Thanks, Mark.

- Bye, love.

You've got to fly...

Oh, don't forget, Marge,

there's a quiz on Tuesday.

Prowl like a lion in Africa

British wrestling took place in a world

where only the strongest survived.

And to survive...

Ah, fu...

...you had to walk

like a panther.

Walk like a panther tonight

Walk like

a panther tonight

MARK:

Ginger!

- Hey, lad.

- All right, Ginge.

- Here, let me give you a hand.

- Hey!

(GINGER GROWLS)

- Hey, hey.

- He's still got it.

- Lovely this morning, weren't it?

- Aye, it were.

You coming to The Nelson

tonight for the quiz?

Tell you what, lad. That pub

is the last place round here

to give any of us

a sense of belonging.

Rest went to the dogs

a long time ago.

(MARK GROWLS PLAYFULLY)

GINGER:
Just as well

you took it over, lad.

Well, mi casa

su casa, Ginge.

- Come again?

- It means...

"My house, your house."

Everyone's house.

It's not an house,

son, it's an home.

- See you later.

- Yeah.

- Oh, Ginger, question eight.

- (THUNDER CRASHES)

Who was the best wrestler

never to be seen on the telly?

- Who?

- Me.

(GINGER GASPS)

MARK:

Ginger! Ginger!

Ginger? Ginger? Ginger?

Someone phone an ambulance!

- (BOYS LAUGHING)

- (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)

PERCY:
Watch out, big

lads coming through.

(MEN CHUCKLING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

DEREK:
Looking good,

Zulu, looking good.

- Is that two Frazzles?

- BOY:
Yes, please.

TREVOR (ON P.A.): Ladies and

gentlemen, your attention, please.

I just wanna say a few words

in honor of Ginger.

Thank you, love.

My friend Ginger.

Our friend Ginger.

(MUTTERS OF AGREEMENT)

At 4:
00

on a Saturday afternoon...

the whole bloody country's

friend, Ginger.

(LAUGHTER)

Nothing meant more to Ginger than

being on the road with the Panthers.

Taking in town halls

up and down the country

with his wrestling family,

"Gladiator" Glenn Higgins,

Tony "Sweet Cheeks" Smith,

Lara "Liplock" Anderson...

Cliff "Edge" Morris,

Zulu Dawn...

the Dixon Brothers,

Danny and Derek.

All family.

(MUTTERS OF AGREEMENT)

People like this place.

This place likes people.

The Half Nelson is the beating

heart of this community.

A community

that welcomes all,

no exception.

I mean, you took us in.

Geordie lad,

a Northern lass

who couldn't quite settle

by the Mersey.

We brought a little bit of it

up here, didn't we? Eh, son?

(CHUCKLING)

Mark keeping this place running

meant a lot to Ginger.

And I know what Ginger

meant to my son.

He gave him everything

a father should give.

Everything a father's

obliged to give.

He gave everything I didn't.

For that, I'm sorry, Mark.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Ginger Frost.

- Ginger Frost!

- Ginger Frost!

MARK:
That was... That

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