Hulk Hogan became a wrestling legend throughout his 49-year career and rose through the ranks of the WWE – however, he also made a number of TV shows outside of the ring

Hulk Hogan may have been a wrestling legend but he also forged a career in TV(Image: AP)

Controversial professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died today aged 71, leaving behind not only a WWE legacy but a varied TV career also. The star – known for his blonde mullet and distinctive horseshoe moustache – took the wrestling world by storm in the late ’70s and quickly became a WrestleMania legend.

However, Hulk’s career persisted outside of the ring, with the 6ft 7 star making his film debut as Rocky Balboa’s opponent Thunderlips in Rocky III before starring in 1989 film No Holds Barred. With stints in animation, comedy, drama and reality, here’s a dive into Hulk Hogan’s strange and varied TV career.

Hogan Knows Best

Hulk with his then-wife Linda, daughter Brooke and son Nick.

Following in the footsteps of fellow famous family The Osbournes, Hulk gave his own brood a public platform with the reality show Hogan Knows Best.

The VH1 series followed Hulk – real name Terry Bollea – and his then-wife Linda as they raised teens Brooke, 17, and Nick, 15. Airing for two years across four series, you would be forgiven for thinking Hogan Knows Best was a fever dream.

From Linda taking in a baby chimpanzee as a temporary pet and Brooke beginning a pop career to over-protective Hulk using any excuse to spy on his teenage daughter, Hulk Knows Best was a bizarre yet entertaining reality TV offering.

The show came to an abrupt end in 2007 when Linda suddenly filed for divorce from Hulk, with Brooke going on to star in her own reality TV spin-off.

Baywatch spin-off star

Hulk Hogan in Thunder in Paradise

In the early ’90s, Hulk was given a chance at starring in his own action-adventure series Thunder in Paradise – from the creators of beach hit Baywatch. Starring as Randolph J. ‘Hurricane’ Spencer, Hulk led the series, which followed two ex-Navy SEALS in their work as mercenaries at their tropical headquarters in Florida.

The series also starred the likes of Chris Lemmon, Carol Alt and Ashely Gorrell with various WWE cameos. However, the series was ultimately reviewed as “cheesy” and “stupid, sexist and embarrassing” by some critics. Unsurprisingly, it ran for just eight months in 1994.

Hulkster makes SNL history

Hulk Hogan made history in 1985 when he became the first-ever WWE wrestler to host Saturday Night Live – NBC’s long-running live sketch show. Hulk took to the stage alongside The A Team’s Mr. T to promote the upcoming Wrestlemania, while The Commodores were the musical guest.

The likes of Christopher Guest, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, Jim Belushi and Billy Crystal were members of the cast at the time – while Liberace was among the stars who made a guest appearance. Since Hulk’s stint, SNL has invited John Cena and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to host the show.

Brooke Knows Best heartbreak

After the end of Hogan Knows Best and the end of his marriage to Linda, Hulk began appearing in Brooke Knows Best – the reality show spin-off starring their daughter Brooke. The VH1 show, which aired for a year in 2008, caught the family at a tough time.

An emotional Linda appears in one episode, sobbing over the demise of her marriage after accusing him of cheating on her. Meanwhile, Hulk and Linda’s son Nick had been arrested a year prior for driving under the influence and crashing his car into a tree, resulting in his friend John Graziano suffering brain damage.

The show appeared to make the beginning of Hulk’s downfall – with the wrestler retaining just 30% of his and Linda’s liquid assets in the divorce and his sex tape with Heather Clem leaking just a few years later.