Erika Roe (born 1957), also known as theTwickenham Streaker, is a woman remembered for a topless run across the pitch ofTwickenham Stadium nearLondon,England, during an England vs. Australiarugby union match on 2 January 1982. It has been described by theBBC as "perhaps the most famous of allstreaks".[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]
While Roe was not the first or the last streaker at an athletic event, in 2007The 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 siteManchester Confidential to dub her "the most famous British streaker."[5]
Roe's continuing fame saw her appear on the British TV programmesAfter They Were Famous (1999) and'80s Mania (2001).[6][7]
She worked at that time in a bookstore inPetersfield, Hampshire, but later moved with her husband and children toPortugal, where, as of 2001, she and her family operated asweet potato farm.[8]
In March 2016 she appeared as a contestant on series 3 ofThe Island with Bear Grylls.[9] This followed her re-appearance in 2015, to raise awareness forBreast Cancer.[10][11]