Jemma Palmer
Encyclopedia
Jemma Palmer is an English
model
and professional wrestler
. She was briefly signed to World Wrestling Entertainment
. She is also known by the name Inferno, which she used in the 2008 British television series Gladiators
. In 2011, she became known for taking part in the twelfth series
of Big Brother UK - the first series broadcast on Channel 5.
Little Black Book UK modelling competition.
She went on to model in many publications including Loaded
, WWE Magazine
, FHM
and Fabulous Magazine
. Her modelling work was compared to video game character Lara Croft
by the Daily Mail
.
As a fan of Gladiators growing up, when rumours mounted of a revival show in 2008 she began sending promotional material to television companies. Her wrestling manager landed her an audition for the similarly timed American Gladiators
revival, but she received a call up for Sky1's British version days later and passed their fitness test. She performed in both series of Gladiators under the name Inferno, sporting red hair and a fiery, flirtatious personality. Despite not appearing on the American version, BBC America
aired Gladiators in the United States. As a cadet, she also later appeared on Sky1's Battle of The Forces which pitted the British Army
, Royal Navy
and RAF
against each other.
. In 2005, she began to appear for the Frontier Wrestling Alliance
(FWA) mainly as a valet for Doug Williams
. This led to her having a try out match with World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) alongside Katarina Waters
who went on to become Katie Lea Burchill. Although she was not signed, she was later offered a scholarship to train at Ultimate Pro Wrestling. During her time on the circuit, Palmer filmed a reality television
show based on pro wrestling as one of the three lead stars.
After much training, she was booked for her debut match against Jetta
at Pro-Wrestling: Eve's first show on 8 May 2010 in Sudbury
, Suffolk
. Before her match with Jetta she suffered an injury in her hand but wrestled the match anyway, with a storyline written in that Jetta attacked her and goaded her into a match while she was explaining the injury to the crowd. The referee
stopped the contest and awarded it to Jetta out of concern for Palmer's health.
. Palmer was released from her contract before reporting to WWE's farm territory Florida Championship Wrestling
as she was unable to obtain a visa to work in the United States.
in 2011. Her younger sister, Faye Palmer was an original housemate on the show, and was still a contestant when Palmer arrived on Day 29. Palmer voluntarily left the House on Day 48.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. She was briefly signed to World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. She is also known by the name Inferno, which she used in the 2008 British television series Gladiators
Gladiators (2008 UK TV series)
Gladiators was a British television series which aired on Sky1 from 11 May 2008 to 25 October 2009. It was filmed in Shepperton Studios and was produced by Shine Limited. It was a revival of the earlier series of the same name and based on the American version of the show. The US, UK and...
. In 2011, she became known for taking part in the twelfth series
Big Brother 2011 (UK)
Big Brother 2011 was the twelfth series of the British reality television series of Big Brother. It was broadcast on Channel 5 for the first time since the show's transfer from Channel 4. It launched on the night of Friday 9 September 2011 with an hour and a half long special launch show, the day...
of Big Brother UK - the first series broadcast on Channel 5.
Modelling
Palmer grew up modelling under the encouragement of her mother, winning the Little Miss Midlands and Miss Littlesea competitions as a child. As an adult she entered a number of competitions, becoming a finalist in the 2006 Musclemania Britain, Miss Hawaiian Tropic, Ms USA Dream Bikini Body and Miss Maxim UK competitions. She also came third in the MaximMaxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
Little Black Book UK modelling competition.
She went on to model in many publications including Loaded
Loaded (magazine)
Loaded, first published in 1994, is a British magazine for men that is considered to be the "original lads' mag". Its motto is "For men who should know better".-History:...
, WWE Magazine
WWE Magazine
WWE Magazine is the official professional wrestling magazine of WWE. This incarnation of the magazine contains lifestyle sections, a monthly calendar, entertainment, work out tips, and other information.-History:...
, FHM
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
and Fabulous Magazine
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
. Her modelling work was compared to video game character Lara Croft
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
.
Gladiators
While her mother encouraged Palmer into modelling, her father encouraged her into athletics. She enrolled in the cadets where she began to train in climbing, abseiling and amateur wrestling. She would later gain a purple belt in submission wrestling.As a fan of Gladiators growing up, when rumours mounted of a revival show in 2008 she began sending promotional material to television companies. Her wrestling manager landed her an audition for the similarly timed American Gladiators
American Gladiators (2008 TV series)
American Gladiators is an American competition TV show that aired on NBC and Citytv in Canada. Hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali, the show matches amateur athletes against each other and the show's own "gladiators" in contests of strength, agility, and endurance...
revival, but she received a call up for Sky1's British version days later and passed their fitness test. She performed in both series of Gladiators under the name Inferno, sporting red hair and a fiery, flirtatious personality. Despite not appearing on the American version, BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
aired Gladiators in the United States. As a cadet, she also later appeared on Sky1's Battle of The Forces which pitted the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
against each other.
British circuit (2005–present)
Along with her other exploits Palmer also was a fan of wrestling, particularly the original incarnation of D-Generation XD-Generation X
D-Generation X was a professional wrestling stable in WWE . The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000...
. In 2005, she began to appear for the Frontier Wrestling Alliance
Frontier Wrestling Alliance
Frontier Wrestling Alliance is a British professional wrestling promotion. Established in 1993 as the Fratton Wrestling Association it soon became the Frontier Wrestling Alliance six years later and until 2007 when it lost a scripted inter-promotional feud with International Pro Wrestling: United...
(FWA) mainly as a valet for Doug Williams
Doug Williams (wrestler)
Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
. This led to her having a try out match with World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) alongside Katarina Waters
Katarina Waters
Katarina Leigh Waters is a German-born English professional wrestler and valet, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Winter. She is best known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment, performing on its Raw brand under the ring name Katie Lea...
who went on to become Katie Lea Burchill. Although she was not signed, she was later offered a scholarship to train at Ultimate Pro Wrestling. During her time on the circuit, Palmer filmed a reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show based on pro wrestling as one of the three lead stars.
After much training, she was booked for her debut match against Jetta
Jetta (wrestler)
Jetta is the ring name of a British professional wrestler. She is best known for her work on the independent circuit in England with various promotions including LDN Wrestling, ChickFight and Real Quality Wrestling where she is the current Women's Champion...
at Pro-Wrestling: Eve's first show on 8 May 2010 in Sudbury
Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. Before her match with Jetta she suffered an injury in her hand but wrestled the match anyway, with a storyline written in that Jetta attacked her and goaded her into a match while she was explaining the injury to the crowd. The referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
stopped the contest and awarded it to Jetta out of concern for Palmer's health.
World Wrestling Entertainment
On June 29, 2009 it was announced that Palmer had signed a contract with World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. Palmer was released from her contract before reporting to WWE's farm territory Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
Championship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
as she was unable to obtain a visa to work in the United States.
Big Brother
Palmer entered the UK Big Brother house during the shows twelfth seriesBig Brother 2011 (UK)
Big Brother 2011 was the twelfth series of the British reality television series of Big Brother. It was broadcast on Channel 5 for the first time since the show's transfer from Channel 4. It launched on the night of Friday 9 September 2011 with an hour and a half long special launch show, the day...
in 2011. Her younger sister, Faye Palmer was an original housemate on the show, and was still a contestant when Palmer arrived on Day 29. Palmer voluntarily left the House on Day 48.