Hulk Hogan, the wrestling legend who died on July 24 at age 71, saw his family life unravel after years of reality TV fame, a bitter divorce, and racial controversy. The former WWE star, real name Terry Bollea, was once a fixture of pop culture with his family’s early-aughts series Hogan Knows Best, but his personal life ultimately spiralled out of control.
The reality show, which ran from 2005 to 2007, was intended to boost the careers of his children, Brooke and Nick, but instead highlighted the dysfunction within the family. Hulk was portrayed as an overprotective father, once using a GPS tracker to monitor teenage Brooke and threatening legal action against a choreographer. His wife Linda later admitted that the cameras made their marriage worse, saying on The Howard Stern Show: “Sometimes, we hate each other.”
After 24 years of marriage, Linda filed for divorce in 2007 amid allegations that Hulk had an affair with one of Brooke’s friends. Hulk denied the claims, but the divorce was finalised two years later. The split triggered a series of legal battles, including disputes over finances and Linda’s 2011 memoir alleging abuse. Hulk was ordered to pay Linda’s £180,000 legal fees after a judge ruled he caused “the vast escalation of fees and costs.”
The rift with his daughter Brooke deepened after Hulk’s racist rant in 2007, which led to a years-long estrangement. While Hulk expressed a desire to heal the family, his actions had left lasting damage. Brooke has not publicly reconciled with her father, and the family’s future remains uncertain.
