Ex-Wrestler From Wilmington on ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Puts Seacrest in Headlock
During the March 24 episode, former wrestler turned travel agent Bill Page won $31,000, then surprised everyone by putting host Ryan Seacrest in a playful headlock.
The Wilmington native cleaned up during the show, solving three puzzles with no trouble. He started by figuring out a tough “Same Name” puzzle – “Mating and prank call” – winning $3,150. He kept rolling when he solved a beach-themed crossword with words like “sharks” and “surf.”
After picking up $24,600 in cash and a trip to Sint Maarten, Page finished strong by solving “Breathing a sigh of relief” for another $3,000.
The show’s best moment happened when Page, who went by “Big Bill” during his wrestling career, surprised Seacrest with an unexpected wrestling move. The fun moment came right after Page talked about starting the East Coast Wrestling Association.
His path to getting on the show took about 18 months. He went through several interviews and sent in a video before filming on January 30.
Page caught everyone’s eye wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt covered with pictures of his six grandkids. His wrestling achievements had already earned him a spot in the hall of fame.
In the bonus round’s “What Are You Wearing?” category, Page chose letters B, C, D, and A. Though he tried guessing “HAIR ON WHITE CLIPS” and “HAIR ON WHITE GLASSES,” he couldn’t get “pair of white gloves” – missing out on a new Ford Bronco.
Page had to keep quiet about his big win for eight weeks until the show finally aired.
