TNA British Boot Camp

TNA British Boot Camp
Genre	Reality television
Starring	See below
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2[1]
No. of episodes	14[1] (as of 7 December 2014)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jeremy Borash[2]
Location(s)	Impact Wrestling Zone, Orlando, Florida, United States[1] London, United Kingdom Manchester, United Kingdom[3] Nashville, Tennessee, United States[4] Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Running time	30 minutes (season 1) 60 minutes (season 2)[1]
Production company(s)	TNA Productions[1]
Release
Original network	Challenge[1]
Original release	1 January 2013[5] – 7 December 2014

TNA British Boot Camp is a British reality television programme focusing on the professional wrestling industry. The programme documented the careers of four British professional wrestlers seeking a contract with the American professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The series was commissioned from TNA Productions by BSkyB and started airing on Challenge from 1 January 2013.^[1][3][6]

TNA British Boot Camp was both the first non-game show commissioned for Challenge by BSkyB and the first American professional wrestling programme exclusively created and broadcast for the British market. The commissioning of the series reflected a commitment by BSkyB to invest £600 million in British-made television content by 2014. The programme's executive producer is veteran TNA ring announcer Jeremy Borash, who created the show and edited the programme himself.^[1][7]

Season 1

Synopsis

The programme followed "four of Britain's most promising wrestlers" - Rockstar Spud, Marty Scurll and The Blossom Twins - who competed to receive a contract from TNA.^[8] The wrestlers were mentored by veteran professional wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan and Rollerball Rocco.^[7][9]

In the season finale of British Boot Camp, which aired on 22 January 2013, Rockstar Spud was named the winner, receiving a contract with TNA. Following the finale, all four wrestlers performed with TNA as part of the "Road to Lockdown" tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland.^[6]

Cast

The contestants on British Boot Camp, from left to right, Marty Scurll, The Blossom Twins, and Rockstar Spud, with Jeremy Borash (far right).

Contestants

• Hannah Blossom^[7]
• Holly Blossom^[7]
• Marty Scurll^[7]
• Rockstar Spud (Winner)^[7]

Mentors

• Al Snow^[9]
• Doug Williams^[9]
• Rollerball Rocco^[9]

Other wrestling personalities

• Dixie Carter^[1]
• Hulk Hogan^[1]
• James Storm
• Kurt Angle
• Magnus
• Jeremy Borash^[1]

Production

TNA announced on 5 September 2012 that it had completed filming of TNA Wrestling: British Boot Camp.^[10] The series was originally scheduled to air in December 2012, but was moved back to January 2013.^[3]

Reception

The programme was described as "a ratings hit for Challenge TV".^[2] Rob Leigh of the Daily Mirror stated that "the show's post-reality show format is bang up to date".^[11]

Season 2

Synopsis

The programme followed "twelve of Britain's most promising wrestlers" who competed to receive a contract from TNA.^[12] It premiered on Challenge, on 19 October 2014.^[13]

Cast

Contestants

Ring Name	Real Name	From	Stage 1	Stage 2	Finals (London)
Babyfaced Pitbull	Sam Smitten-Downes	Leicester, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Cyanide	Alex Walmsley	Manchester, England	Eliminated
Dave Mastiff	David Minton	Dudley, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals	Final six
El Ligero	Simon Musk	Leeds, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Grado	Graeme Stevely	Ayrshire, Scotland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals - was given a 2nd chance after being eliminated	Final six
Joe Vega	Joe Vega	Preston, England	Eliminated
Joel Redman	Joel Pettyfer	Exeter, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Sexy Kev	Kevin Lloyd	Warrington, England	Eliminated
Kris Travis	Kristoffer Travis	Sheffield, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
King Rorster	Rory Bailey	Burton, England	Eliminated
Mark Andrews	Mark Andrews	Cardiff, Wales	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals	WINNER
Martin Stone	Martin Harris	London, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Matt Fox	Matthew McNamara	St. Helens, England	Eliminated
Noam Dar	Noam Dar	Ayrshire, Scotland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals	Final six
Nordic Warrior	Unknown	Manchester, England	Eliminated
Priscilla	Ollie Burns	Leeds, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Pyro	Unknown	Manchester, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Rampage Brown	Oliver Biney	Leeds, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals	Final three
Richard Parliament	Richard Varty	London, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
RJ Singh	Ross Jones	Hertford, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Sha Samuels	Sha Samuels	East London, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Simon Lancaster	Simon Lancaster	Grimsby, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Heather Schofield	Heather Schofield	London, England	Eliminated
Kay Lee Ray	Kayleigh Ray	Glasgow, Scotland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals	Final three
Melanie Price	Melanie Conneely	Manchester, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Lana Austin	Leanne Austin	Manchester, England	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated
Kasey Owens	Kelly Robinson	Belfast, Northern Ireland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Leah Owens	Leigh Robinson	Belfast, Northern Ireland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Nikki Storm	Unknown	Glasgow, Scotland	Advanced to Stage 2	Advanced to the Finals
Viper	Kimberly Benson	Ayrshire, Scotland	Advanced to Stage 2	Eliminated

Mentors

• Al Snow
• Gail Kim
• Samoa Joe

Other wrestling personalities

• Jeremy Borash
• Rockstar Spud

See also

• TNA Gut Check
• WWE Diva Search
• WWE Tough Enough

References

1. "TNA British Boot Camp on Challenge TV". Challenge.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
2. "Rockstar Spud Wins TNA British Boot Camp". Challenge.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
3. "TNA IMPACT WRESTLING to be filmed in Manchester". Virgin Media. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
4. "TNA British Boot Camp stars get boozy in bar". Virgin Media. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
5. "TNA British Boot Camp Starts 1st January". Challenge.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
6. "Rockstar Spud wins TNA British Boot Camp". Virgin Media. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
7. Allely, Phil (13 September 2012). "TNA British Boot Camp on Challenge TV". The Sun. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
8. "TNA Wrestling And Challenge TV Announce A New Show to Air in the United Kingdom". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
9. "Hulk Hogan to star in new reality show". The List. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
10. Caldwell, James (22 July 2012). "Update on TNA's "Boot Camp" show". PWTorch.com. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
11. Leigh, Rob (4 January 2013). "Repping for Britain: TNA Wrestling British Boot Camp wrestlers have the opportunity to become worldwide stars". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
12. "Challenge Announces British Bootcamp 2". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
13. "British Bootcamp 2 Premiere". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-18.

External links

• Challenge website
• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling website