The outspoken former England rugby international quickly became a fan favourite on the BBC show and, with his popularity soaring, he has now announced a brand new project
Marler has announced a brand new project(Image: BBC)
Joe Marler has announced that he is hosting a brand new show after suffering heartbreak in the final of The Celebrity Traitors.
The former England rugby player was the breakout star of the BBC spin-off series as he charmed viewers with his unique personality and impressive sleuthing skills. But despite being the only player to correctly identify Jonathan Ross, Cat Burns and Alan Carr as ‘traitors’, he failed to convince his fellow faithfuls and was cruelly banished at the final hurdle, with Carr scooping the entire jackpot himself.
Marler was left fuming by the late twist that saw him sent out of the game by Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga, but can count himself as one of the real winners of the show with his rising popularity set to open more doors for him following his retirement from rugby.
One of the sport’s biggest characters, the 35-year-old previously hosted the podcast Joe Marler’s Things People Do, but announced last month that he was leaving the show after five years.
However, he is set to make an immediate return to the world of podcasting, with his new venture announced moments after Thursday night’s Celebrity Traitors final.
Marler has been confirmed as the host of a new video podcast, Joe Marler Will See You Now, which will see the ex-Harlequins prop “reimagined as an entirely unqualified yet oddly persuasive pseudo-psychologist” who will quiz celebrity guests with a series of increasingly probing questions and bespoke personality tests.
The podcast – which will launch on Thursday, November 13, and will be available to listen to on BBC Sounds – is produced by Folding Pocket, the same label that produces The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked.
“I am really excited to be launching a new podcast with a twist! Think Good Will Hunting meets The Goonies,” said Marler as his new project was announced. “I’ve always loved asking questions and learning new things.
“This new show lets me do it in the most surreal, unpredictable way. I can’t wait for people to see just how ridiculous, and surprisingly revealing, it’s going to be.”
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Marler looked set to lead the ‘faithfuls’ to victory in Thursday night’s final but one remark at the final round table saw his fellow contestants turn on him. Having initially said he was going to vote for Olusoga to be banished, he changed his mind and voted for Burns, apologising to the singer as he did so.
While, unbeknownst to the players, that was the correct decision, Marler’s apology raised suspicions with Mohammed, who then shocked viewers by banishing the former rugby star from the game at the last moment.
Speaking to host Ed Gamble on Uncloaked, Marler joked that while he, Mohammed and Olusoga were alright now, he “struggled to make eye contact with them from now on”.
He added that his apology to Burns was made simply out of politeness, as he explained: “I wasn’t saying sorry to Cat like Judas. I said sorry to Cat because I enjoyed my time with her.”
In response, Mohammed admitted that Marler has a new nickname for him, as he revealed: “He refers to me as Judas. Sometimes he uses a heart emoji instead of the U.”