Britain's most notorious bouncer, Marcus Redwood, has released a new autobiography titled Big Guy: The True Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Bouncer, in which he details a chilling encounter with hitmen at his home in 1990. The incident began with a four-word threat and ended with Redwood keeping a loaded gun by his bedside for three months.
The Dispute That Sparked the Threat
In August 1990, Redwood, then 28, was working as head doorman at a club in Margate when two men, described as sons of “rather naughty people,” arrived. After one took too much cocaine, he left without a hand stamp and tried to re-enter through a different door. A bouncer demanded he pay, and Redwood intervened to help. The man punched Redwood in the face, and Redwood retaliated, throwing him out of the club and accidentally breaking his ankle. The man shouted “you’re dead,” but Redwood kicked him in the stomach. Later, the man’s friend confronted Redwood, saying, “I don’t want to hear it. I’ll be seeing you.” Redwood sensed danger, as the man’s look was chilling.
The Hitmen Arrive
On November 5, 1990, Redwood left his home to buy wine and cigarettes. He saw two men approaching, who stopped and whispered upon seeing him. One dropped his arm, revealing a gun silhouette. Redwood jumped into his car and reversed off the driveway. One gunman ran across the road and fired multiple shots, hitting the car and blowing out the back tires. Redwood sped off, ducking down. He later found shell casings from a 9mm gun on the pavement, collected by a neighbor.
Redwood made it to an off-licence and called the police, but he felt they were dismissive, suspecting the dispute was work-related. Frustrated, he told them he would handle it himself. Around that time, he contacted “celebrity gangster” Dave Courtney, who knew the family involved. Courtney allegedly spoke to the family to end the feud.
Aftermath and Impact
For the next three months, Redwood carried a loaded gun everywhere and kept one by his bedside. He installed security cameras and automated lights at his home. “It was all very stressful,” he said. “Eventually, I was reassured that the trouble had stopped.” He later learned that one of the hitmen accidentally shot himself while playing Russian roulette, reducing his worries.
Redwood, who estimates he has been involved in 3,000 fights and knocked out 1,000 men, also worked security at Ronnie Kray’s funeral and has interacted with notorious gangsters like Dave Courtney, Freddie Foreman, Frankie Fraser, and the Kray twins. His autobiography details these experiences and the constant threat of violence in his line of work.
