Adebayo Akinfenwa's surprise new job after wrestling debut and vowing 'never again'

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Adebayo Akinfenwa has turned his hand to interior design after snubbing professional wrestling following the end of his football career.

Akinfenwa was known for his formidable physique as a striker, which earned him the nickname 'The Beast' thanks to his impressive strength and goal-scoring ability. After a 22-year career that included stints at AFC Wimbledon , Wycombe Wanderers and Millwall , he retired in 2022 and decided to explore various new ventures.

The Liverpool fan recently featured on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins . However, the 43-year-old's stint on the Channel 4 adventure competition programme has deterred him from participating in any adrenaline-fuelled shows in the future.

Akinfenwa told the Daily Star : "It was exhilarating, stimulating and painful. Yeah, that's the best way to put it. I've always said that I wanted to try things that were outside my comfort zone, and that was very much so.

"I'm afraid of heights, and I'm not a fan of water. But it was a way of coming together. You know, there were 12 of us that we didn't know, and we bonded very quickly. So, it was a good experience, never again, but it was a good experience."

When quizzed on whether he'd consider Strictly Come Dancing or the I'm A Celebrity jungle, the former striker added: "I don't know if my knee can handle that, and the jungle just finished. I get very angry when I'm hungry, so I don't know."

Akinfenwa was poised to swap the pitch for the ring as he prepared to make his wrestling debut alongside mate Anthony Ogogo. The pair stepped into the ring at Progress Wrestling's Chapter 145: Wrestling Witch Face - Trick or Treat back in October 2022, taking on Malik and Kosta Konstantino.

The duo were scheduled to compete in a tag match the following week, but Akinfenwa pulled out due to a shoulder injury he couldn't shift. On Progress Wrestling's official X account, he revealed his "shoulder was at 95% and I've been called away," effectively ending his WWE dreams before they'd properly started.

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Revealing his ambitions to break into the WWE scene, the ex-footballer said: "To be fair, I thought about going into WWE when I retired. I did actually have my first WWE, my first wrestling match, with Antonio Ogogo.

"He was my partner. Schedules didn't align for me to continue. So, WWE was what I thought about tackling when I retired."

These days, Akinfenwa is venturing into interior design as he joins forces with celebrated TV property expert Stuart Douglas on a fresh project called Keys or Coffee. The interactive property prize draw allows the public to help various celebrities design homes, which punters can win for just £3 - roughly the cost of a coffee.

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Akinfenwa will tackle one room in the property alongside the likes of Jeff Brazier , Natalie Johnson and Scarlette Douglas . The Beast has expressed his enthusiasm for this new career path and shared his top decor tips.

Akinfenwa said: "I think Keys or Coffee is a wicked idea because it fuses somebody who's got the aspirations of a house design without the actual funds.

"It's as simple as today's modern society, when we'd go out and spend money for a coffee, and then now you've got the opportunity of getting a whole house the way you want it, the way you sometimes see it and fantasise it.

"So combining that together, I think that's an immense idea. And in regards to my style, I'm a simplest. I like space, you know? I don't like overly cluttered. I'm a simplest. I like colours and I like lights."

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.