Bronwyne Billington is immersed in wrestling folklore. Metaphorically and literally.
As she sits talking to to speak with Ben Veal for the 26th episode of the Wrestling Life series, there are wrestling playbills on the wall behind her and action figures mounted on another wall, alongside paintings of the Macho Man Randy Savage and her father Thomas Billington, one of the UK's most famous wrestlers.
The Dynamite Kid is viewed as a pioneer of an athletic and technical style of wrestling that has influenced many wrestlers since. He was also part of the Hart family dynasty as one half of WWF Tag Team Champions The British Bulldogs alongside his cousin Davey Boy Smith, who was married to the youngest daughter of Hart patriarch, Stu Hart. Thomas Billington then married Michelle Smadu – Bronwyne’s mother – who was the sister of Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart’s first wife.
Here's four discoveries from #WrestlingLifePod with the Dynamite Doll:
She had a love hate relationship with wrestling while growing up.
“As a child [wrestling] was always there," shares Bronwyne, "then as I got a little but older and realised that my dad was injured from being involved, I disliked it.” However, one day at High School she saw her sister watching WWE’s Attitude Era and enjoyed watching the Hardy Boyz, Lita and The Rock, and eveything changed. “I love it. [Wrestling is] just part of my world now. I won’t turn away from it again.”
She gets emotional watching her family wrestle.
Bronwyne’s cousins Mark and Thomas ‘Dynamite Kid’ Billington now wrestle as the Billington Bulldogs in homage to their late uncle. Bronwyne recalled watching them in Calgary, hometown of both Bronwyne and the Hart dynasty. “It was just a little bar show and there was hardly anyone there. But they wrestled their hearts out. And I, of course, was crying.” She was comforted that night by Jade Hart, daughter of The Hitman, since all the extended family had turned out to watch. Chris Jericho then scored Bronwyne tickets to AEW Collision in Calgary to see her cousin Tom wrestle live under the bright lights.
“I was so nervous,” Bronwyne said, laughing. “I picked up my beer and dropped the whole thing. I texted Chris afterwards and said I’m a puddle. I’m literally a puddle. I’m soaked in beer and crying my eyes out.” Having cleaned up the beer as best she could they finished the night in traditional Calgary wrestling community fashion at Hitman’s Bar, which is owned by Bret Hart and celebrates his incredible wrestling career.
The Dynamite Kid didn’t appreciate his legacy:
Bronwyne doesn’t feel that her father, who tragically died in 2018 at just 60 years old, realised the impact he had on the wrestling business. “He was so far removed from social media and TV,” she said.
Visiting him once with wrestler Harry ‘Davey Boy Junior’ Smith, they watched a DVD of the Best of the British Bulldogs in Japan together; although Tom could remember all the spots, he had never watched replays of any of his matches since being in them. Yet the world of wrestling fondly remembers the Dynamite Kid. Bronwyne recently returned from Philadelphia where her father was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Spectrum Arena. Next stop: the WWE Hall of Fame!
She has aspirations to become a wrestling manager
Bronwyne Billington is now starting to be recognised in her own right as the Dynamite Doll.
“I turned 40 this year. Age is just a number. I feel like I’m at my best. I just want to give it my all in whatever way I can,” she says on the episode. During the Meet and Greet at the Spectrum Arena, fans were more focused on sharing stories and getting photos with Bronwyne than admiring the late Dynamite Kid's ring memorabilia.
“It feels really good to be not just under my dad’s shadow,” she admitted. “I am very proud of him and I want to keep his legacy alive. But I don’t want to obsess over it.” Bronwyne now has a close friendship with the wrestler Paige ‘Black Dahlia’ Collett and hopes to work as her manager when the Chainsaw Queen returns to in-ring action, having previously been confined to a wheelchair with complex regional pain syndrome. Bronwyne has aspirations of working in Japan, the US, the UK and across Canada in the near future as her solo career starts to really take off. However, although she is leaving her father’s shadow, he is never far from her mind.
“I still talk to my dad. To get things off my chest or whatever, I speak to my dad,” she admitted. “I don’t pray to God. I pray to my dad. He’s always dropping dimes. I found a dime yesterday. I find them everywhere. So much so that I’m like, did this fall out of my pocket? And my sister says, no Bronwyne, they’re from dad.”
To hear more about how Bronwyne coped with her father’s passing, be sure to check out on Ben’s other podcast, Good Journeys. You can connect with Bronwyne on Patreon, Twitter and Instagram.
About the author: Steve Shepperson-Smith lives in Hertfordshire, England and has a highly successful career in the public relations industry and as a Board member. He has been a wrestling fan for over 30 years and would still like to work in publicity for a wrestling promotion one day. Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, The Rock and Asuka are some of the wrestlers he has most enjoyed watching over the years. His ambition is to attend WrestleMania one day with his kids. In London. Connect with Steve: X | LinkedIn | Instagram
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