The wrestling star said she was ‘the lowest she’s ever been in her life’ after the leak and revealed how she found a way through it.
Paige has spoken openly about the heavy emotional toll her sex tape leak had on her, sharing that it pushed her to feel she “couldn’t be here anymore.” Looking back, she described that period as one of the hardest chapters of her life.
The wrestling star, who made a major return to WWE at WrestleMania 42 last weekend, said 2017 marked “the lowest she’s ever been in her life” after intimate photos and videos involving the Norwich-born athlete were posted online. She reflected on how the fallout affected both her career and personal life in ways people did not fully see.
Almost 10 years later, Paige, whose real name is Saraya-Jade Bevis, has opened up about the shame she carried after the leak and how one life-changing talk with her dad, she says, saved her life. It was a moment she still looks back on as a turning point.
She entered the ring at only 13 years old and spent much of her life fighting through setbacks. But Paige admitted this was one battle that nearly broke her, and she came close to giving up under the weight of it.
The 33-year-old pulled back from public life after the videos spread online. While many saw headlines, she said she was quietly dealing with painful thoughts and emotional struggles behind closed doors.
Paige, 33, fought back tears as she reflected on the ‘lowest’ point of her lifeYouTube/What’s Your Story?
During a recent appearance on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, Paige said: “I was like, I can’t be here anymore. I went through that stage of feeling like I was completely alone.”
She said the humiliation and devastation she felt during that period were made worse by substance abuse and an unhealthy relationship, which left her feeling even more isolated while trying to cope.
“When these tapes came out, I ran out of the house and took off,” Paige said. “I kept running. I ran outside this grocery store and I hid in this bush.”
“People are humiliating me online. I made mistakes in these videos and stuff…that I would never do. I was 19-years-old, you know.”
She said one of her biggest fears was how her father would react, explaining Ricky Knight means everything to her. That fear weighed heavily because of how close they have always been.
‘I was ready to do it… I was done’
Paige said: “And if he can’t accept the fact that these tapes are out, I don’t know if… I was ready to do it. I was done.”
Thankfully, she said her dad responded in a way she never expected. She described him as “f**king fantastic” and said his support came at a moment when she needed it most.
She candidly admitted she ‘didn’t want to be here anymore’ in the midst of the scandalInstagram/@saraya
‘He absolutely saved my life’
Recalling the powerful conversation they had over the phone, Paige said: “He goes to me, ‘It’s alright princess – everyone has a sex life, yours just happens to be on the internet’.”
“And he goes, ‘You know what? You could be famous like Kim Kardashian!’ I was like how the f**k do you know Kim Kardashian? I was so confused!”
“He saved my life that day. He absolutely saved my life. I was doing everything I can to not be here anymore. That was the lowest I’ve ever been in my life.”
“You convince yourself that your alone. You are not alone. The best thing you can have is community. Community is the most important thing around you.”
“I am so lucky and so blessed that I have the most positive influences around me.”
Paige said she later got sober and began therapy, steps she credits with helping her rebuild her life. She explained those changes gave her stability and helped her move forward.
The WWE star made an epic return to the ring at WrestleMania 42Bradlee Rutledge/WWE via Getty Images
She stepped away from wrestling in 2018 after suffering a neck injury, following a major run that included becoming a two-time WWE Divas Champion and the first NXT Women’s Champion.
The British star later made her return at WrestleMania 42, stepping in for Nikki Bella during the Women’s Tag Team Championship Match. For many fans, it marked a big comeback after years away.
Speaking on the podcast, she said WWE required her to be medically cleared and pass a drug test before returning, and she successfully met both requirements before getting back in the ring.
“The fact that my neck was good… I had to retire before and miss out on so many things,” Paige added.
Reports now suggest she has signed a multi-year deal with WWE, which points to this return being more than a one-off appearance. It appears fans may be seeing much more of her in the ring again.