Linda Hogan has paid tribute to her ex-husband Hulk Hogan on what would've been his 72nd birthday

Linda captioned the picture: "Me and Hulkster... 1981 Happy Birthday Terry. I love and miss you so much..."

The TV personality and Hulk split in 2007 but she admitted that she was "devastated" when she paid tribute to her former husband in the days following his death.

Linda - who has daughter Brooke, 37, and son Nick, 35, wrote in a comment on her Instagram post: "I had no idea he would pass away this soon.

"We all really thought he would make a come back! Big surprise. We are all devastated. It's hitting me so hard."

Linda revealed that she and the WWE legend were not on speaking terms when he died and explained that their son would "tell me things and vice versa".

She said: "I still felt... although broken... we still were a family. It's so hard to know he's just gone. I tried to stay strong for Nick... but I'm melting down now. It's very sad. I love you Hulkster. You were my man. The only man for me. RIP."

Linda was among the mourners at Hulk's funeral service in Florida last week, although Brooke chose not to attend to "honour" her father - who "hated the morbidity" of funerals.

She penned on Instagram: "My father hated the morbidity of funerals. He didn't want one.

"And although I know people grieve in many ways - and I'm so grateful for all the celebrations and events organised to honour him - as his daughter, I had to make my own decision to honour him the best and most genuine way I knew how... privately... the way that made me feel the closest to him."

Brooke had a strained relationship with her father prior to his death and her husband Steven Oleksy revealed that Hulk had shown "no interest" in meeting his grandchildren Andrew and Molly following the birth of the twins in January.

Former NHL player Oleksy told People: "I sent text messages once again to kind of gauge where he was at, but there was no interest."