"The producers already knew she was terminally ill, so I went to them and said, 'That's me done'," he said. "They were great. I was leaving, then Daisy rang back and said, 'Look, there's not a lot you can do right now, so just stay up there until you get kicked out.'"
"That was the moment that I was like, 'Right, I've had enough of this impostor syndrome. I'm gonna ramp it up, go hell for leather, and if I get banished or murdered, it's a win, I can go home,'"
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Marler reveals exactly how much he earned on The Celebrity Traitors
"Daisy [his wife] read that too [that he got paid £40,000]. She said to me, 'Hold on, I thought you only got 30?' I said, 'Yeah, I did.'"
"I don't think everyone got paid the same. But I'm not bothered. It was 30 grand whether you lasted two days or three weeks - a no-brainer."
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“Ban the f***ing caterpillar ruck” – Joe Marler’s BRILLIANT ‘five-point plan’ to save rugby
#1. KILL THE CATERPILLAR ?
“The first thing I’d do is ban the fing caterpillar ruck. It kills me. The whole thing is an a. I’d even go as far as banning box kicks — but then I’d sound like Clive Woodward.
I want to see referees actually sanction scrum-halves who ignore the ‘Use it’ call. And while I’m at it, that maul rule where the defence gets the ball back for holding you up? Scrap it.”
It’s hard to argue with Joe on this one. The tactic has sucked the life out of too many games. While World Rugby hasn’t banned it yet, pressure from fans and players alike keeps mounting.
#2. MORE BEHIND THE SCENES ?
“Rugby is missing some razzmatazz. We need a Drive to Survive-style show like Formula One. I honestly thought that’s what CVC were going to bring in.
Can you imagine a raw, behind-the-scenes documentary of Eddie Jones? The man’s an anarchist — he just does what he wants.”
Marler was ahead of the curve. Netflix’s Six Nations: Full Contact, released in 2024, finally gave fans that peek behind the curtain — though it still felt a touch too polished. Rugby needs more of the chaos and character that Marler was calling for.
#3. INCONSISTENT DISCIPLINE ⚖️
“The disciplinary system is completely baffling. It’s bonkers and could do with being a bit more consistent.
Tomas Lavanini — most carded player in history — had his ban reduced for ‘good behaviour’ at a hearing. So what, you just need to wear a nice suit and smile now?”
Three years on, Marler’s frustration still rings true. The sport has tightened up some review procedures, but the perception of inconsistency remains — especially with the TMO era magnifying every incident.
CONTINUES ON PAGE THREE
#4. CHIEFS TO CHEFS ?
“I’d like to see Exeter change their branding from Chiefs to Chefs. The Exeter Chefs — a small but significant tweak. It’d be more culturally appropriate than constantly p***ing off Native Americans.
Imagine the new logo — skull, knife and fork underneath. Merch sales through the roof. Even a cooking range!”
Turns out Joe’s joke aged surprisingly well. In 2022, Exeter did rebrand — keeping the Chiefs
#5. TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ?
“The suicide rate among men shows more has to be done — across society, not just rugby.
I’m not surprised there aren’t openly gay players. They’re 100% out there, but the environment hasn’t always been welcoming. It’s not a story about sexuality — it’s about being able to say, ‘This is me, this is who I am.’”
Still powerful and painfully relevant. Rugby has improved its conversation around mental health, but Marler’s honesty remains a benchmark. His willingness to speak out — often through humour — continues to help break the stigma.
