Dave Benson Phillips, how much are you looking forward to getting in the ring for Riptide Wrestling?

I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only just done a little bit of wrestling recently at the Horsham Funday Sunday and I got a taste for it again. A long time ago, when I was a Pontins blue coat, one of my duties was to look after the wrestlers. Back then I used to do a bit of refereeing too.

I was going to ask if you had a history with wrestling, and there it is...

Actually, before even that, I used to watch World of Sport. You probably wouldn’t remember that because I can hear by your voice… are you a millennial?

[I’m 23 if that counts as millennial?]It’s impressive you can tell that just from my voice.

Well that’s what comes with age. I’ve worked with children a long time.

Even back then watching at Pontins, was getting in the ring something you wanted to do?

I used to watch it and, like everybody, I used to get excited by it. I always wanted to be a performer; a singer, an actor and stuff. Throwing people around the ring was something I would watch other people do, but I didn’t expect I would ever do it myself. So imagine my surprise, some years later, that I get to do it. I get to run around the ring and see the wrestlers close up.

You mentioned it earlier, you really made the rounds on social media with your appearance at Kapow.

It’s funny because I was hosting the event, I was the voice of the event and one of the wrestlers from Kapow, who had met me the year before, we got chatting. Eventually he asks if I mind getting in the ring and sorting out one of the bad guys, and I said OK.

So it wasn’t a planned thing?

No, it was very spontaneous, and very fun. My son, who is eight, was very surprised to see his daddy chucking people around the ring.

That must have come as quite a surprise?

Yes it was, but it was quite romantic as well. I was all macho, throwing men around and my wife swooned, it was lovely.

So how long after that did Riptide get in touch with you?

It was all very hot off the press and I looked on my Twitter feed and it was loads of people wanted to get in on it. So, as normally happens, somebody phoned my agent and my agent said yes. So I’m going to get all oiled up, I’ve got my Lycra and leg-warmers.

Well I wasn’t going to ask about oil but I am wondering if you’ll be bringing your signature Get Your Own Back gunge to Riptide?

Well due to health and safety I can’t put any gunge in the ring, but besides which if you’ve ever seen any liquids on a wrestling canvas, that’s the last place you want to be.

What are you expecting from the event?

I’m going to be there to make sure the Anti-Fun Police behave themselves.

How are you preparing for the match?

A lot of what you have to do in the wrestling profession is sit down, learn about your enemy, if you’ve ever seen Rocky – the one with Dolph Lundgren – you’ve got to have a montage, photos of them on the wall. You’ve got to prepare, train, all that stuff.

How do you plan on stopping the Anti-Fun Police from stopping the fun?

Don’t worry, the fun won’t be stopped. Believe me, I’m on the case. There will always be fun.

So what would you say to the people of Brighton to get their tickets to come and see you wrestle?

Please get into it, come and see me. And if there’s anyone who’s good at first aid come along too.

It’s going to be a hoot.