Global stars in safe hands
Welcome to the latest instalment of the East Kilbride News series Our People. This week Mark Pirie speaks to wrestling promoter Graham McKay.
Justin Bieber may think he looks like a supervillian but Graham McKay has a heart of gold.
Graham has become known around East Kilbride for running British Championship Wrestling from the Ballerup Hall.
But he also offers close protection and security to some of the biggest celebrities in the world.
He has helped protect some of music’s superstars but the former Ballerup High School pupil takes it all in his stride – even if pop idol Bieber believes he holds a resemblance to Superman’s rival Lex Luthor.
“It’s amazing how these things become normal,” Graham said. “I’ve sat and had lunch with Elton John. I’ve had a laugh with Lionel Ritchie.
“I met Justin Bieber not long ago. I was trying not to look at him too much. He put his hand out to shake my hand and made a joke to his bodyguards.
“He said ‘Don’t worry. Lex Luthor is on the door – everything is going to be fine’. That’s something that gets brought up all the time now.
“I thought he was a gentleman. The ones you expect to be divas always turn out to be really nice.”
Before he got involved in protecting some of pop’s biggest names Graham had a music career of his own.
During the peak of happy hardcore music he enjoyed some chart-topping tracks.
However, all that came to an abrupt halt and Graham believes this experience has influenced his wrestling promoter career.
“Everything changes,” he said. “When I was at the pinnacle music culture changed.
“Records were really expensive back then so to move into a whole new genre would have cost me a fortune.
“After that there were a few tough times. I’ve been at the level where you can’t even afford a can of Irn-Bru or the bus fare.
“I think that has pushed me to be successful now because I never want to be like that again.
“I can always remember the exact feeling of struggling to get by and not having money. You never forget it, even though it was about 20 years ago.
“That’s why with wrestling shows I want to keep the price down. I won’t go any higher than £12.50.
“I only put that up in the middle of last year so for the 14 years before that it was just £10 for a ticket. It’s not about money.
“You get adults coming up to you saying their kids have spent the last month ticking the days off the calendar.
“That’s when it hits home how important it is.
“If I make a loss out of a show I’m not that bothered.”
He joked: “I sound like a bad businessman but it means a lot to me.”
Graham vowed to give something back to the community when he found success and after selling out shows in East Kilbride and Kilmarnock he has given away tickets to various groups for his shows.
“At the last show we had Reach so kids with autism got the chance to come along,” he said.
“I get messages and cards from families and carers who say they can’t believe they got to see it.”
Graham’s blood, sweat and tears are in the foundations of every BCW show.
From hiring the stars to putting out the chairs, he puts in the extra effort behind the secenes.
He has seen current WWE stars including Sheamus, Noam Dar and Drew Galloway grow up in the ring at the Ballerup Hall before moving to the be part of the giant American company but insists the thing that keeps him going is the fans.
“Some days I can go from working a 17-hour shift to a wrestling event,” he said.
“But I wouldn’t have it any other way now. It’s a big part of my life.
“It’s when I feel that buzz ahead of the show that I know it’s been worth it.”