Erika Roe (born 1957), also known as the Twickenham Streaker, is a woman remembered for a topless run across the pitch of Twickenham Stadium near London, England, during an England vs. Australia rugby union match on 2 January 1982. It has been described by the BBC as "perhaps the most famous of all streaks".[1] Roe, who later attributed the inspiration to alcohol, ran onto the field during half time, exposing her 40-inch (102 cm) breasts.[2]
Roe and Sarah Bennett, the friend who joined her streak,[3] were corralled by officials.[citation needed]
Aftermath
editWhile Roe was not the first or the last streaker at an athletic event, in 2007 The Independent of London declared that her "memorable" streak made her a suitable icon to represent all such streakers in their article on sports interruptions.[4] The event prompted web site Manchester Confidential to dub her "the most famous British streaker."[5]
Roe's continuing fame saw her appear on the British TV programmes After They Were Famous (1999) and '80s Mania (2001).[6][7]
She worked at that time in a bookstore in Petersfield, Hampshire, but later moved with her husband and children to Portugal, where, as of 2001, she and her family operated a sweet potato farm.[8]
In March 2016 she appeared as a contestant on series 3 of The Island with Bear Grylls.[9] This followed her re-appearance in 2015, to raise awareness for Breast Cancer.[10][11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bare without a care. BBC (6 August 2000). Accessed 3 October 2007.
- ^ "Where are they now?". Scotland on Sunday. 26 August 2007. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
- ^ "First streaker at a rugby match – Interesting Facts". www.interestingfacts.org.uk. 29 September 2012.
- ^ Viner, Brian (7 July 2007). "Wimbledon washout brings memories of some barefaced interruptions". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008.
- ^ "Streak of peace". Manchester Confidential. Retrieved 3 October 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "After They Were Famous: Episode #2.3 (TV Episode 2000)" – via www.imdb.com.
- ^ "80s Mania (TV Special 2001)" – via www.imdb.com.
- ^ "100 most memorable sporting moments: 71-90". The Observer. 4 February 2001. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ Gardner, Alison (26 March 2016). "1980s streaker Erica Roe resurfaces in Bear Grylls' Channel 4 survival show The Island". What's on TV. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016.
- ^ "How Erika Roe Lifted a Nation". www.englandrugby.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022.
- ^ "Erika Roe: "I Remember" - Reader's Digest". www.readersdigest.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022.