Les Kellett

Who was Les Kellett?

Les Kellett was a British professional wrestler who rose to prominence due to the popularity of televised wrestling in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in Laisterdyke, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Bill Kellett, a renowned Bradford engineer, and Sarah Kellett.

Kellett worked in the merchant navy as an engineer and was demobbed in Manchester where a meeting with Joe Hill led him to consider life as a professional wrestler. During the 1950s he earned between £40 and £50 and was fighting five to six times a week all over the country. In the 1960s Kellet was nominated for the ITV Sports Personality of the Year and was presented to Prince Philip at the Royal Albert Hall in the 1970s.

In the 1970s, he could regularly be seen on ITV's Saturday afternoon sports show-case, World of Sport. Although well known for his comic antics he was widely respected and feared, in equal measure, by his fellow professionals and was regarded as one of the toughest opponents in the sport. One of his standard tactics was to appear punch-drunk and almost defeated in a match, before suddenly recovering his ability and delivering the decisive move.