Upon entering the studios, a sense of anticipation fills the air. The spacious lobby, adorned with stylish furnishings, exudes a contemporary charm. The walls proudly display posters and images of beloved ITV shows, evoking a nostalgic familiarity for visitors and staff alike.
Production crews scurry about, meticulously preparing sets and ensuring every detail is in place. The air is filled with the distinct blend of excitement and professionalism, as talented individuals collaborate to bring captivating stories and engaging content to life, even at this untimely hour.
As the sun begins to rise, casting a soft glow over the city, Stu-E arrives at the studios in the early morning hours. The usually bustling streets are tranquil at this hour, with only a few dedicated early risers dotting the landscape. Stu-E, dressed casually in smart denim jeans and red chequered shirt rolled up to his elbows, carries an air of determination as he steps out of the limousine and makes his way towards the entrance.
The security guards stationed at the entrance recognize Stu-E, offering warm smiles and nods of acknowledgement. Inside the studios, the corridors are now eerily quiet, with only the sound of footsteps echoing against the walls. The subtle lighting casts a soft glow, creating an intimate atmosphere as Stu-E navigates the familiar halls.
He enters the green room designated for his appearance on This Morning, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Dermot O'Leary. The room is tastefully decorated, featuring comfortable seating and refreshments to help guests feel at ease. Stu-E takes a moment to collect himself, mentally preparing for the upcoming live interview and decides to head to set.
As he steps onto the set of This Morning, a wave of familiarity washes over him as he catches sight of Holly Willoughby. Memories from years ago come flooding back when they had crossed paths during Holly's early days on Celebrity Juice. Their paths had briefly intertwined in the fast-paced world of entertainment, leaving an indelible mark on their connection.
With a warm smile, Stu-E approaches Holly, their eyes meeting in recognition. The shared history instantly bridges any time that has passed between them.
"Well, well, Holly! Look at you, all grown up and hosting one of the biggest morning shows. It's been ages!" Holly's face lights up with a mixture of surprise and delight as she recalls their previous encounters.
"Oh, my goodness, it's incredible to see you here. You haven't changed a bit. How time flies! I remember our moments in your pubs like they were yesterday." Price smiles, when Holly was getting started, she’d not long been on Celebrity Juice and he’d booked her for a couple of public appearances where they hit it off and had a lot of fun.
"Ah, those were wild times, weren't they? I have to say, seeing you hosting this show, it's a testament to your talent and hard work. Well done!"
She blushes slightly, "Thank you, that means a lot. You’re not doing so bad yourself!” Price smiles and shrugs his shoulders. They share a genuine laugh, a shared understanding of the journey they have both undertaken since their previous encounters. The bond formed in the early days of Holly's career is now rekindled in the present moment.
"Well, I'm excited to be here, chatting with you on This Morning. We've both come a long way, haven't we?"
"Absolutely, Stuart. It's a pleasure to have you here. Let's make this interview memorable, just like old times."
They exchange a friendly embrace, acknowledging the unique connection they share. The camaraderie between Stu-E and Holly hopefully sets the stage for a comfortable and engaging interview, where their shared history adds an extra layer of authenticity and warmth.
Dermot, had pretty much just been a viewer, not managing to get a word in while Holly and Stu were chatting. Price watches Holly head over to the famous couch, before O’Leary can pass him though, he smiles and shakes his hand before watching them sit down and get ready for the show.
As the cameras start rolling, their playful banter and genuine rapport captivates the viewers, showcasing Holly & Dermot’s enduring friendship. As the minutes tick away, the atmosphere gradually shifts. Voices become animated, and the energy of the team behind the scenes begins to intensify. The production crew ensures that everything is meticulously organized, from makeup touch-ups to the final run-throughs of the show's segments.
Price is just waiting for his signal to walk on for his part of the show, ordinarily the guests wait in the green room, but he preferred to watch how the show was filmed and how everybody worked together. Although it seems like an eternity Price was finally told be an assistant it was his time to go on.
Stu-E steps onto the set, greeted by the friendly faces of Holly Willoughby and Dermot O'Leary. The bright lights illuminate the stage, lending an air of excitement and anticipation. The hosts exude warmth and professionalism, creating an environment that instantly puts Stu-E at ease.
As the cameras continue to roll, Stu-E shakes Dermot’s hand again on camera, and shares a warm embrace with Holly before they sit back down on the couches, Holly is the first to start talking, owing to her friendship with Price.
“So, Stuart, welcome to show! We originally had Sean Parker joining us, but unfortunately, he couldn’t be here.” Stu-E raises his eyebrow at that, he knew nothing about Sean being part of his media commitments in England.
“I didn’t even know he was supposed to be coming, but never mind. He’s a little preoccupied with life just now, which is understandable.” Says Price, he really was oblivious to the fact both he and Sean were supposed to be on the show.
Dermot leans in, ready to ask a question, he glances down at his card to remind himself of the bullet points of topics they were going to cover before opening his mouth. “You’re recently back in the wrestling business, how did all this start?”
Stu-E paused, when he remembered back he realised it was actually twenty six years ago he had his first big break in the business. “It all started with one of the greatest of all-time, Stone-Cold Steve Austin, actually. He just happened to be working with a smaller promotion getting back in shape after some injuries and I took my chance.”
As he’s talking about the start of his career, Holly smiles, like she’s planned something. “We’ve actually tracked down footage from that show!” she proudly exclaims, Stu-E is shocked, as he’d never seen the footage anywhere. It cuts to some grainy footage of Steve Austin celebrating outside the ring with a beer. He calls for another one, but it’s thrown just a little too high for him and flies over his head.
Austin laughs it off and calls for another one and just as he is about to catch it, he gets blindsided from behind, and nailed in the back of the head with the same beer can he didn’t catch. Stone Cold drops to the mat holding the back of his head, the camera spins to find out who it is. It reveals a much smaller, much younger looking Stu-E Price who is getting booed out the building. He grabs Austin and tosses him in the ring, following him very closely.
Standing over him, Price calls for two beers that are thrown expertly for him to catch, he cracks them open, smashes the cans together and copies Austin’s signature beer drinking. Just as he tosses the empty cans to the mat, he grabs Austin’s WXWA U.S title belt from his waist and rips it off him, placing it on his own shoulders and heading out of the ring.
It cuts right back to This Morning, Price can’t believe what he just saw. “I take it Austin didn’t take too kindly to that?” asks Dermot, to which, Price laughs.
“No he didn’t, and he kicked my backside for a good few weeks after that! I was a rookie, and though I lost 99.7% of matches against him, it was such an education just sharing a ring with him and the fact that I had my first run against someone like him, opened up all sorts of doors for me in this business, and I’ll always appreciate that.”
Both presenters are invested in the conversation now, as Price talks sincerely and really, rather humbly. “And how’s things going now with HWA?” asks Holly, keen to keep the conversation flowing.
“It’s going really well, thanks, I’ve only really had one bad blip which was right out the gate against Draconis. But what did anyone expect? I’d been away from the business for a good amount of time, and I didn’t really care about the match in all honesty.”
“Why was that Stuart?” asks Dermot, Price shrugs his shoulders before answering. “Because it was a one-shot deal in my mind, just wanted Laney to see me wrestle the one time then I’d maybe get wheeled out on the big shows, but somebody must have saw something in me because I’ve been booked ever since. If you’re watching, Butch, maybe I should renegotiate my contract!”
Dermot and Holly laugh at the light-hearted humour, which is perfect for this sort of television show. “You’ve got Sean Parker next, for the second time; how are you preparing for this?” asks Holly.
“I bet I’m preparing a hell of a lot better than he is, unfortunately. He only wanted the match because I beat him with outside interference. The way he’s going at the minute, I’ll beat him again but this time it’ll be down to internal interference unless he can get his head in the game and just focus.
I can only see the match going one way, and it’ll all be down to his mental state. It’s bloody unfortunate, but I’m a professional. In that squared circle you can’t go in there on autopilot because you’ll end up embarrassing yourself, and I know Sean and his family, the lad deserves better than that at this stage of his career.”
Price knows deep down, what’s coming next, he knew where the conversation was going as soon as Sean was brought up. Stu-E had watched the This Morning show enough times to know they don’t just have wrestlers on talking about wrestling on a show not even in the same country, although he did recognise there had been more interest in the UK since a certain show was announced at Wembley.
“It’s understandable how Sean is feeling given that his partner Michelle was involved in very unsavoury scenes that also included your Daughter, things just seem to be getting darker and more controversial on the HWA shows, how do you feel about all of this, knowing that you represent this show?”
Stu-E sighs and glances at Dermot, who asked the question. “It’s getting harder to do media after every show, I know that much. But it’s….” He’s not so sure what to say now, it has been weighing heavily on his mind. “It just seems people are desperate to make a mark on this business, forgetting that this business is about what goes on in the ring. A lot of what I’ve seen has been unnecessary and downright shocking and maybe it’s easier for me to take my gear and go back home and leave them all to it.” Price looks down at the floor, contemplating but his moment of respite is broken by Holly.
“But could you really do that now, just walk away?”
There’s a pause before he answers, “I love this business, it’s been very kind to me for many years but I also remember some of things I’ve done in the past, look at how I got a break in the business, Holly, attacking a living legend, so who am I to judge?”
Price casually shrugs his shoulders, “The answer is yes, I can walk away and leave this whenever I want to. Being away from it freed me from its emotional attachment or obsessions but by the same token, what message would I be giving to people watching if I did that? The business draws in audiences from all backgrounds, across the planet. Some of those viewers might be in bad places, surrounded by bad people, maybe watching someone like me and Laney just might give them an idea that yes, they can do things differently. They don’t have to do the same things as their toxic family or friends are doing, they can make their own way regardless of how hard it might be.”
He's clear, precise and remaining humble as he continues as Dermot and Holly are nodding in agreement. “Ultimately, if me sticking around and doing the right thing when I’m surrounded by absolute chaos helps one viewer out there step away from a gang, or a pimp or a bad situation then much like those fellas booking Wembley stadium, I’m all in!”
Holly senses the passion within Stu-E and reaches over to touch his hand which he smiles at. “That’s a very noble way to think of it, Stuart. I’ll be looking forward to checking out your match at the end of the month.” As she finishes talking to Stuart, she slightly changes position to focus on the camera.
“And to find out where to watch Stu-E Price take on Sean Parker on Havoc, please check our website for further details and you might just spot our new competition where one lucky winner will win an all-expenses paid trip to Memphis, Tennessee with four thousand pounds spending money and a long weekend in Little Rock, Arkansas where you can watch Havoc, live!
But for now, it’s time for a break, after which we’ll have Gino D’Campo showcasing some cheeky little Summer dishes that are great for the kids in the 6 weeks holiday.”
The familiar pre-break music of This Morning begins to play, signalling they’re no longer on the air. Throughout his appearance on This Morning, Stu-E's charisma and down-to-earth nature shined through. The studio audience of production workers responded with applause, reflecting their enjoyment of the conversation which unfolded before them.
After bidding farewell to Holly and Dermot, Stu-E exits the set, a sense of accomplishment and gratitude filling his heart. The morning light now illuminates the studios, signalling the start of a new day filled with endless possibilities as the scene fades out.
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