I’M A Rugby Player, Get Me In There – Joe Marler Keen For Jungle Experience

Marler Announced His International Retirement Last Weekend And Has This To Say

 

 

Joe Marler may have hung up his England jersey, but it seems the spotlight isn’t ready to leave him just yet. The charismatic Harlequins prop, who racked up 95 caps and played in three World Cups over an illustrious 12-year international career, officially called time on his England tenure last weekend. However, his post-rugby plans suggest he’s far from done with the limelight.

 

 

At 34, Marler is determined to finish the current club season with Harlequins before shifting his focus to what lies ahead. While many may imagine a quiet retirement, Marler has his eyes set on something far more dramatic: reality TV. And while he humorously anticipates being “mocked” for his “lack of dance moves” or his “absolute dread” of confined spaces (he’s claustrophobic), the likes of *Strictly Come Dancing* and *I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here* are definitely on his radar.

 

 

In an interview with the *Daily Mail*, Marler candidly admitted, “Would I do that stuff? Yeah, but it’s not a career, is it? I’d do it as a fan of those shows, and I’d love to experience those things. The jungle, *I’m a Celeb*—that’d be such great fun.”

 

 

Marler’s retirement from international rugby wasn’t an impulsive decision, but one he’d been considering for a while. His recent withdrawal from England’s autumn internationals, citing personal reasons, was the catalyst for his departure. The turning point came when he saw the emotional toll his career was taking on his family—particularly his young daughter, Maggie.

 

 

“I could see how upset Maggie was every time I had to leave,” Marler reflected. “She’d cry her eyes out, asking, ‘Why do you have to keep going away?’ It was heartbreaking. How long can you keep pushing yourself when the reason you’re doing it starts to feel like it’s pulling you away from the things you love the most?”

 

 

 

Despite England coach Steve Borthwick urging him to stay on for one final game against South Africa, alongside longtime teammate Dan Cole, Marler had already made up his mind. “There was a part of me that thought, ‘Maybe…,’ but I knew it was time,” he said. The emotional moment came when he shared the news with Cole, a friendship that’s spanned their entire careers. “I just hugged him, started crying in his arms. It was like a release. I knew it was the right decision, but there was sadness too. That was it.”

 

 

 

As Marler steps away from the rugby field, he’s already eyeing a new kind of stage. Whether he’s shaking a leg on *Strictly* or braving the wilderness on *I’m a Celeb*, it’s clear he’s ready for his next adventure. And if history is anything to go by, fans can expect plenty more of his irreverent humor and infectious personality to keep them entertained.