Joe Marler Unveils Ideal Celebrity Traitors Contestants and Winning Tactics
Rugby icon Joe Marler has exclusively disclosed his dream line-up for the upcoming 2026 series of Celebrity Traitors while offering pivotal guidance to prospective contestants. The former England prop, who narrowly missed victory to Alan Carr in the gripping finale of the previous celebrity edition, remains captivated by the show's dynamics as filming preparations potentially commence as early as April.
Life After Rugby and Celebrity Traitors
Since retiring from professional rugby in November 2024, Marler's schedule has become increasingly hectic, largely propelled by his standout appearance on Celebrity Traitors. The 35-year-old former Harlequins star confessed that his wife Daisy frequently teases him about his burgeoning fame, suggesting it's only a matter of time before public interest wanes.
"Life's certainly got busier, especially compared to my first six months of retirement," Marler revealed during an exclusive interview. "That was sort of the honeymoon period, just at home all the time with the kids, loving life. I was able to chip in around the house and with the family. But part of me was 'hang on, I haven't got any work... what am I actually doing?'"
"Then the Traitors came up and it's 'f**k, I haven't got time to fart let alone spend lots of time with the kids!' I've been very, very busy and I'm very grateful for it and it is all off the back of the Traitors."
Dream Contestants for 2026 Series
Marler enthusiastically nominated several high-profile celebrities he hopes to see enter the treacherous castle for the next series. His top picks include actor and television personality Danny Dyer, whom he believes would deliver exceptional entertainment value despite potential scheduling conflicts with West Ham United commitments.
"I hope that Danny Dyer is definitely going on, I really hope to see him do his thing. He would be great," Marler stated. "Maybe he'll say no to it just because of the pressure at West Ham! I'd love to see it, mind you."
Additionally, Marler expressed strong interest in seeing television presenter Alison Hammond participate, describing her as another excellent candidate. Venturing into sports territory, he proposed former footballer and pundit Roy Keane as a particularly compelling choice.
"Danny or Alison Hammond. They'd both be great. Keeping it football themed I would also love to see Roy Keane in there. He would be totally box office. You wouldn't know which way he would go."
Essential Advice for Future Participants
Drawing from his personal experience on the show, Marler offered crucial strategic advice to individuals contemplating participation in Celebrity Traitors. He emphasized the importance of adopting a specific persona to maximize longevity in the game.
"Anyone that's considering doing it, say yes. Because it is so much fun. It is a wild experience. I mean, like nothing else," Marler advised. "To anyone that's already said yes to it, if you want to get as far as possible you've got to play quite dumb. It was a natural role for me! To get to the final, or as far as possible, you've got to play the sort of dumb character, play it down a little bit, just be friendly, not really interested in hunting down any of the Traitors, and they keep you by the side."
"Then you hope that at the last minute you can team up with someone and put all your trust in them. But then go in and that person doesn't betray you!"
Personal Reflections and New Ventures
Marler also reflected on the emotional challenges he faced when deciding to join Celebrity Traitors, revealing that a family member's serious health condition nearly prevented his participation. He credited his wife's resilience for enabling him to seize the opportunity.
"There was no doubt that I wanted to do it, I am such a big fan of the show," Marler explained. "The only doubt was that we had a family member who was on her last legs so to speak, she didn't have long. We had to weigh things up, knowing we could potentially lose her while I was away. But my wife is as strong as an ox, she said just go and do your thing out there, so eventually I jumped at the opportunity."
Since the show, Marler has reconnected with fellow contestant Joe Wilkinson for a Sky Mobile advertising campaign that humorously explores modern friendship dynamics. The collaboration has prompted Marler to contemplate the importance of maintaining connections after retiring from professional sports.
"When I called it a day I asked what environments can I get involved in now," Marler shared. "Actually, working with Sky mobile is a good example. It was like a reminder for me to keep in contact with those boys that I had got close with over the years and you'd sort of take for granted a little bit because you know you're going to see them every day."
"Then when that's taken away, you're like, oh, hang on a minute. I need to make more of a conscious effort to actually stay connected with them. I've reached out to other boys that have also retired and asked how long they took to sort of get back to a bit of normality, or to find a new purpose."
Marler's insights coincide with research from Sky Mobile examining contemporary expressions of affection through digital communication. The study indicates generational differences in how relationships are maintained, with older demographics valuing unexpected phone calls while younger generations prefer text-based check-ins and shared media.
