- Culture
- TV & Radio
- News
‘To be able to sit around the same table as, like, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross, Celia Imrie, and have the ability to like, tell them to shut up, or grow up, or just outwit them,’ says the Rugby star
Casey Cooper-FiskeWednesday 03 December 2025 00:01 GMTComments
CloseMoment Nick Mohammed turns on Joe Marler in final Traitors banishment
Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email
Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter
Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Former England rugby international Joe Marler has revealed he was so keen to appear on The Celebrity Traitors that he initially offered to pay for the privilege.
The 35-year-old reached the final of the BBC reality gameshow earlier this year, where he was ultimately ousted by comedian Nick Mohammed, 45.
Mohammed had wrongly suspected Marler of being a Traitor, despite having formed an initial friendship and pact with the former Harlequins player to defeat the show's saboteurs.
Speaking on Waitrose’s Dish podcast with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, Marler recounted his surprising approach to joining the star-studded cast.
He explained: "It was bonkers. I was a big fan beforehand and then I … went for a booking meeting, or coffee, whatever, and I was like, ‘how much is it going to cost me then?’, and they were like, ‘what do you mean?’”
“I was like, ‘well, I’ll obviously pay to come on the show’, that’s how desperate I am, and they were like, ‘no, no, it’s not a lot of money’, and ‘as long as you don’t mind’, I was like, too late, I’ve already said that I’ll do it for free,” Marler added.
Joe Marler after being banished from ‘Celebrity Traitors’ (BBC)“I should have gone the opposite way, but that’s not how that works, it was wild, just the names in the cast was just … brilliant. To be able to sit around the same table as, like, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross, Celia Imrie, and have the ability to like, tell them to shut up, or grow up, or just outwit them."
Despite playing as a faithful during his time on the show, the star went on to say that he would not want to return to the game as a traitor if given the chance. Marler added: "A traitor’s got more control, I think, they (know) what they’re doing, but if I had my time again, I wouldn’t be a traitor."
The series ultimately concluded with comedian Alan Carr taking home the entire £87,500 prize money. After defeating Faithful’s TV historian David Olusoga and Mohammed in the final, Carr generously donated the sum to Neuroblastoma UK, a children’s cancer charity.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for freeADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
The full interview with Marler can be heard on the Dish podcast, available from all podcast providers.
More about
Joe MarlerAlan CarrDavid OlusogaJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
