Bess Katramados: Big Show Wife, Former Model & Private Life
Bess Katramados is the wife of WWE legend Paul Wight (Big Show), former model, and mother of two. Born in 1973, she married Big Show in 2002 and maintains a private life.
Early Life and Background
Bess Katramados was born on July 13, 1973, in Illinois, United States. Growing up in a Christian family in the American Midwest, she attended Lutheran High School where her natural beauty and elegant build caught the attention of modeling agencies. Her American upbringing shaped her values and laid the foundation for her future career and personal life.
Education
During her high school years at Illinois Lutheran High School, Bess focused on her academics while simultaneously exploring opportunities in modeling. It was during her senior year that she began to participate in various fashion shows and photoshoots on a part-time basis. This early exposure to the modeling world would later influence her career choices after graduation.
Early Career Aspirations
After graduating from high school in 1991, Bess decided to pursue modeling as a full-time career. Her dedication and natural charm quickly earned her recognition within the industry, though she primarily worked with smaller modeling firms and agencies in her hometown and neighboring cities. While she may not have signed major deals with international fashion houses, she built a respectable reputation in the regional modeling scene.
Modeling Career
Bess Katramados’ physical attributes, including her height of approximately 5 feet 8 inches (1.727m) and her well-maintained physique, made her well-suited for a career in modeling. Throughout her early professional life, she worked consistently in the modeling industry, building her portfolio and gaining experience.
Professional Achievements
Though detailed information about specific campaigns or photoshoots is limited, Bess worked with various modeling agencies throughout Illinois and neighboring states. Her career, while perhaps not reaching international fame, was successful enough to provide her with steady work and industry recognition. She continued modeling until her life took a different direction after meeting Paul Wight, better known as The Big Show.
Transition from Modeling
As her relationship with Big Show developed, Bess gradually transitioned away from her modeling career. After their marriage in 2002, she chose to step back from the modeling world to focus on her family and support her husband’s demanding wrestling career. This decision marked a significant shift in her professional life, as she embraced new roles both within her family and in supporting her husband’s career.
Meeting and Marriage to Big Show
The details surrounding how Bess Katramados and Paul “Big Show” Wight first met remain somewhat mysterious, adding an element of intrigue to their love story. Some sources suggest they may have met around 2000, though the exact circumstances of their first encounter are not widely documented.
The Beginning of Their Relationship
When Bess and Big Show met, he was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ann Piavis. Their relationship developed during a challenging time in Big Show’s personal life, as his first marriage was coming to an end. The timeline of events suggests that Bess and Big Show formed a connection that quickly grew into something significant.
Wedding and Commitment
Bess Katramados and Big Show married on February 11, 2002, just five days after his divorce from Melissa Ann Piavis was finalized on February 6, 2002. The quick transition between Big Show’s divorce and subsequent marriage raised eyebrows and attracted public attention. Despite the unconventional timing, their marriage has proven to be enduring and strong, lasting for over two decades.
Building a Life Together
Since their wedding in 2002, Bess and Big Show have built a solid foundation for their family. They have created a stable home environment while navigating the challenges that come with being married to a celebrity, particularly one in the physically demanding and travel-intensive world of professional wrestling. Their commitment to each other has remained steadfast through the various phases of Big Show’s career.
Family Life
Family has been a central focus for Bess Katramados since her marriage to Big Show. Together, they have created a loving home for their children while maintaining a level of privacy that is uncommon in celebrity families.
Children
Bess and Big Show have two children together, a daughter and a son, though they have chosen not to publicly disclose their names or many details about them. This decision reflects their commitment to protecting their children’s privacy despite living in the public eye. In addition to their two biological children, Bess is also a devoted stepmother to Cierra Wight, Big Show’s daughter from his previous marriage to Melissa Ann Piavis.
Parenting Approach
As parents, Bess and Big Show have prioritized creating a normal and stable environment for their children despite the fame associated with Big Show’s career. Bess has taken on a significant role in raising their children, often managing family responsibilities while Big Show traveled for his wrestling commitments. Their parenting approach emphasizes privacy, stability, and family values.
Home Life
The family resides in a luxurious home in Odessa, Florida. They previously owned a sprawling 9,589-square-foot mansion in Miami, Florida, valued at around $3.7 million, which reflected their financial success and comfortable lifestyle. Despite their wealth, they appear to value a relatively normal family life away from the spotlight that constantly follows Big Show in his professional endeavors.
Supporting Big Show’s Career
Throughout their marriage, Bess has been an integral part of Big Show’s success, providing support in various capacities that extend beyond traditional spousal roles.
Role as Personal Trainer
One of Bess’s most significant contributions to Big Show’s career has been serving as his personal trainer and fitness instructor. Her background in modeling and fitness has equipped her with knowledge about physical wellness that has benefited her husband throughout his wrestling career. She has helped him maintain the physical condition necessary for the demanding nature of professional wrestling.
Promotional Support
In addition to her role as a trainer, Bess has also worked as Big Show’s promoter. While she maintains a low public profile herself, she has supported her husband’s career by helping manage his professional commitments and public appearances. This behind-the-scenes work has been valuable to Big Show’s continued success in the wrestling industry.
Emotional Support
Perhaps most importantly, Bess has provided unwavering emotional support throughout the ups and downs of Big Show’s career. The life of a professional wrestler involves physical toll, extensive travel, and public scrutiny, all of which can be challenging. Bess’s steady presence has given Big Show a strong foundation during the most demanding periods of his career.
Life in the Public Eye
Despite being married to one of the most recognizable figures in professional wrestling, Bess Katramados has maintained a remarkably low profile throughout their marriage.
Privacy Preferences
Unlike many celebrity spouses who embrace the limelight, Bess has consistently chosen to stay out of the public eye. She does not maintain social media accounts and rarely gives interviews. The few times she has been photographed in public have typically been when accompanying her husband to events. This deliberate choice to maintain privacy stands in stark contrast to the very public nature of Big Show’s career.
Public Appearances
While Bess generally avoids the spotlight, she has occasionally been seen supporting her husband at significant professional events. She has attended WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies and other important wrestling events to show her support for Big Show. These rare public appearances offer fans a glimpse into their relationship and Bess’s supportive role in her husband’s career.
Handling Fame by Association
Being married to a celebrity of Big Show’s stature inevitably brings a certain level of public interest and scrutiny. Bess has navigated this aspect of their life together with grace and discretion. By maintaining boundaries between their private family life and Big Show’s public persona, she has created a sense of normalcy for their family despite the extraordinary circumstances of being connected to a wrestling superstar.
Financial Status and Lifestyle
The combined success of Bess’s modeling career and Big Show’s wrestling achievements has afforded the couple a comfortable lifestyle.
Net Worth
While Bess Katramados’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed, it is estimated to be around $3 million, primarily derived from her modeling career and investments. This figure stands alongside Big Show’s more substantial net worth, which is approximately $16-20 million, accumulated through his decades-long career in professional wrestling, acting roles, and endorsement deals.
Real Estate Investments
The couple has invested in luxury real estate over the years. Their property portfolio has included a 9,589-square-foot mansion in Miami, Florida, valued at approximately $3.7 million. They currently reside in Odessa, Florida, in a home that reflects their financial success while providing privacy for their family.
Lifestyle Choices
Despite their considerable wealth, Bess and Big Show appear to value a relatively modest lifestyle compared to many celebrity couples. Their focus seems to be on family stability and privacy rather than ostentatious displays of wealth. This balanced approach to their finances and lifestyle choices reflects Bess’s grounded nature and the couple’s shared values.
Behind the Scenes: Daily Life
While much of Bess Katramados’s life remains private, certain aspects of her day-to-day routine and responsibilities have become known through various sources.
Household Management
As the wife of a wrestler whose career has involved extensive travel, Bess has taken on significant responsibility for managing their household. This includes overseeing their home, coordinating family schedules, and ensuring that everything runs smoothly during Big Show’s frequent absences for wrestling events and other professional commitments.
Balancing Responsibilities
Bess has successfully balanced her roles as a mother, wife, personal trainer, and household manager throughout their marriage. This juggling act requires considerable organizational skills and dedication, particularly given the unconventional schedule and demands of Big Show’s wrestling career.
Current Activities
After stepping back from her modeling career, Bess has focused primarily on her family and supporting her husband. While she maintains a private life, her current activities likely revolve around family responsibilities, fitness (given her role as Big Show’s trainer), and managing their household affairs.
The Strength of Their Relationship
The longevity of Bess and Big Show’s marriage speaks to the strength of their relationship, particularly considering the challenges that often affect celebrity marriages.
Enduring Partnership
Having been married since 2002, Bess and Big Show have built an enduring partnership that has lasted for over two decades. This longevity is particularly noteworthy in the entertainment industry, where relationships often face additional pressures and scrutiny.
Mutual Support
Their relationship appears to be characterized by mutual support and respect. While Big Show has been the more visible partner due to his wrestling career, Bess has provided essential support behind the scenes. Similarly, Big Show has respected Bess’s preference for privacy and helped shield their family from unnecessary public attention.
Weathering Challenges
Like any long-term relationship, Bess and Big Show’s marriage has likely faced its share of challenges. The demands of Big Show’s career, including travel, physical toll, and public scrutiny, would test any relationship. Their ability to navigate these challenges while maintaining a strong marriage demonstrates the depth of their commitment to each other.
Contrast with Big Show’s Public Persona
There is an interesting contrast between Big Show’s larger-than-life public persona and the private family life he shares with Bess.
The Public vs. Private Big Show
In the wrestling ring, Big Show is known for his imposing 7-foot stature and powerful presence. His character has been portrayed as intimidating and sometimes aggressive, in keeping with the theatrical nature of professional wrestling. However, outside the ring, Paul Wight is described as a loving and devoted husband and father, showing a gentler side that fans rarely see.
Bess’s Influence
Bess’s presence in Big Show’s life seems to provide balance and grounding. Her preference for privacy may have influenced how Big Show separates his professional persona from his personal life. This balance has likely contributed to their successful marriage and family life despite the pressures of fame.
The Real Family Behind the Character
While fans know the character of Big Show, few get glimpses of the real family life that Paul Wight shares with Bess and their children. This separation between public character and private reality is something that Bess and Big Show have maintained throughout their relationship, creating a sanctuary away from the spotlight.
Bess Katramados Today
As of 2025, Bess Katramados continues to maintain her private lifestyle while supporting her husband’s evolving career.
Current Age and Status
Born in 1973, Bess is currently 51 years old. She continues to be married to Big Show, with their relationship having endured for 23 years. Throughout this time, she has maintained her commitment to privacy while supporting her husband through various phases of his career.
Adaptation to Career Changes
In recent years, Big Show’s career has evolved, with his departure from WWE and move to AEW as both a wrestler and broadcast team member. These transitions have likely required adjustments for the entire family, with Bess continuing to provide support as Big Show explores new professional opportunities.
Continued Privacy
Consistent with her approach throughout their marriage, Bess continues to maintain a low public profile. She remains largely absent from social media and rarely makes public appearances, choosing instead to focus on her family and private life away from the public eye.
Legacy and Impact
While Bess Katramados may not seek public recognition, her impact on Big Show’s life and career is significant.
Influence on Big Show’s Career
As Big Show’s personal trainer, promoter, and emotional support system, Bess has played a crucial role in his professional success. Her behind-the-scenes contributions have helped sustain his long and accomplished career in professional wrestling.
Family Foundation
Perhaps Bess’s most important legacy is the stable family foundation she has helped create. By maintaining privacy and normalcy despite Big Show’s fame, she has provided their children with a grounded upbringing that might otherwise have been difficult to achieve.
A Model of Privacy in the Public Eye
In an era of social media and constant exposure, Bess’s commitment to privacy stands as a notable counterexample. Her ability to support a famous spouse while remaining out of the spotlight herself demonstrates that it is possible to be connected to public figures without sacrificing personal privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Bess Katramados and Big Show meet?
The exact circumstances of their first meeting are not widely documented, though they are believed to have met around 2000. Their relationship developed while Big Show was still married to his first wife, Melissa Ann Piavis.
What is Bess Katramados’s profession?
Bess worked as a model before her marriage to Big Show. After their wedding, she transitioned to supporting her husband’s career as his personal trainer, fitness instructor, and promoter while also focusing on raising their family.
How many children do Bess Katramados and Big Show have?
Bess and Big Show have two children together, a son and a daughter, whose names have been kept private. Bess is also stepmother to Cierra Wight, Big Show’s daughter from his previous marriage.
What is Bess Katramados’s net worth?
While her exact net worth is not publicly confirmed, it is estimated to be around $3 million, primarily from her modeling career and investments. This is separate from Big Show’s net worth, which is approximately $16-20 million.
Why does Bess Katramados maintain such a private life?
Bess appears to value privacy and normalcy despite being married to a celebrity. This preference for staying out of the spotlight has allowed her to create a more normal life for their family while supporting Big Show’s very public career.
Samantha Yates is a creative writer and journalist with expertise in content creation and editing. She holds an MA in Creative Writing and brings professional experience from Lionbridge, where she developed engaging content for leading technology companies
