Celeb Traitors’ Joe Marler stuns Michael McIntyre with offer to STRIP
The retired professional rugby union player, who has been appearing in the hit series Celebrity Traitors in recent weeks, will soon make his return to the fellow BBC gameshow.
He previously appeared as a celebrity panellist alongside host Michael, 49, in 2021 and 2023, but in the height of his Traitors popularity, will be back for more this week.
He’ll join the line-up in the opening episode of the gameshow’s sixth series, which returns to screens on Saturday (October 25).
Joe, 35, joins the likes of comedian Katherine Ryan, former footballer Jill Scott, Cheaters star Susan Wokoma, presenter Roman Kemp and actor Layton Williams.
But it appears Michael might get more than he bargained for with the rugby player, as an exclusive first look clip sees the sportsman offering to take his clothes off when he’s quizzed about his stand-out matching tracksuit.
Grabbing host Michael’s attention with the brightly coloured two-piece, the comedian admits in the first look clip: ‘You’ve caught my attention, I love what you’re wearing.’
‘Is it an all in one?’ Michael asks, to which a straight-faced Joe hits back: ‘No, I can take the top off if you want, or I can take off the bottoms.’
Asking whether or not the white, orange and brown garb was an all-in-one style ‘boiler suit’, Joe continued: ‘No, no, it’s a two piece.’
And issuing a savage takedown, Michael then comments: ‘For me it looks like a baby grow – it looks like you’re a big beared baby.’
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Unimpressed, Joe hits back: ‘Right, OK, I love you inviting me back on this show because you always make me feel so welcome.’
He leaves Michael squirming as he continues: ‘Would you like to cradle me? Cradle me in your bosom, now.’
Michael soon reveals that Joe has chosen his category, which contestants will have to answer questions about to rack up the prize pot, as ‘Jobs’.
Explaining, Joe continues: ‘Well, since retiring, people go, “Ah, how are you enjoying retirement?” But we need to rename it, it’s unemployment. I’m looking for a job.
‘I thought I would come on here and plug my CV to get a job.’
Once again dishing out a withering putdown, Michael concludes: ‘Well, we’ve ruled out fashion designer…’
Joe has been busy taking part in the first series of Celebrity Traitors, which launched on BBC One earlier this month, and sees him joined by the likes of Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie.
The series has already waved goodbye to a large handful of its ‘Faithful’ celebrities, including singer Paloma Faith, YouTube star Niko Omilana, EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, Olympic diver Tom Daley, actress Ruth Codd and presenter Clare Balding.
Traitors Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr and Cat Burns have so far remained undetected by their fellow celebrity players.
But it was Joe who led the charge against chat show host Jonathan, 63, in the most recent episode, after seeing right through his ‘double bluff’ theory, that saw him kill off The Midnight Club star Ruth, 28.
Sitting outside Ardross Castle alongside Traitor Alan, 49, Joe was seen explaining he didn’t buy Jonathan’s act and theorised he’d decided to kill off Ruth to ‘bluff’ his innocence.
His ‘big dog theory’ saw him speculate that while Jonathan had been picked to be the leading Traitor, broadcaster Stephen, 68, was the leading Faithful.
He said: ‘Maybe Claudia picked a war to be had between the Traitor team, led by the big dog – Jonathan – against the Faithful team, led by the Faithful big dog, of Stephen.’
Fans were left furious that Joe’s theory had been ignored by his fellow Faithful celebrities, even after presenting it at the round table.
Viewers compared Joe to series 2 contestant Jaz, who was nicknamed Jazatha Christie during his time on the show, as he expertly worked out several of the Traitors, but was banished in the final after failing to convince the others.
Taking to X, they voiced their frustration with the contestants for ignoring Joe, writing: ‘Joe dropping the perfect theories all day everyday and no one is listening’.
‘Everyone needs to listen to Joe Marler’s gut,’ said a second. ‘They need to start listening, he’s spitting bars and nobody’s paying attention!’
The Wheel returns to BBC One at 8:20pm on Saturday.
