Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler's new life from adult site launch to sport switch

Joe Marler, the outspoken and larger-than-life former England rugby prop, built an impressive career defined by brute strength and a bold, unapologetic character. The 35-year-old, who retired last year, first joined Harlequins' academy back in 2008 before earning his senior debut the following season. Nearly 300 club appearances brought Premiership triumphs in 2012 and 2021, while his 88 caps for England since 2012 included three Six Nations titles and a runner-up finish at the 2019 World Cup.

Marler's impact reaches beyond statistics, as one of rugby's colourful mavericks frequently made headlines for his antics. One of his most talked-about moments came in 2020, when he grabbed Wales' Alun Wyn Jones' genitals during a match. Away from controversy, he's been a strong voice for mental health, speaking honestly about his personal challenges. Since hanging up his boots, Marler has thrown himself into several new ventures - some controversial, others not. He's , taken up a different sport, and recently joined the BBC's first celebrity series of The Traitors. Here, Express Sport runs through everything Marler has been up to since stepping away from professional rugby.

New sport

Marler discovered padel while in France for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and instantly became obsessed with the fast-paced racket game. His social media posts about it caught the attention of the brand Nox Padel, who soon signed him as an ambassador.

Despite modestly admitting he's "crap" at the sport, Marler was flown to Barcelona for expert training sessions, where he was "schooled" by 16-year-old prodigies. The experience intensified his enthusiasm, turning what began as a casual hobby into a semi-professional pursuit. He now views padel as a possible career option after rugby.

"It gives me a bit of competition to keep going, now I don't have rugby," he admitted in June. "There's that one point, that one rally that you get and you feel good at it. I chase that moment."

Earlier this year, he even captained a side in the Cupra Pro Am Padel Tour, facing a team led by comedian Jason Manford and featuring ex-Aston Villa and England footballer Gabby Agbonlahor. Padel's rapid global growth is credited to its accessibility and sociable vibe. Marler said: "It's going crazy, everyone and everywhere is padel mad. It's great for me!"

OnlyFans account

In a surprise move, Marler launched an OnlyFans page in 2023 - but with his trademark humour. Rather than racy content, his account featured nothing but pictures of his feet.

The page, @JoseMalaTrotters, was promoted through a spoof-erotic video on his podcast's Instagram, where he described his "9/10 certified" feet, one toe sporting a smiley face. Halfway through filming, he broke down laughing, confirming it was all tongue-in-cheek.

"'Hey you, yeah you, I've seen the way you're looking at my feet," Marler said in a mock seductive tone. "9/10 certified by a foot health specialist. Want to get your hands on these trotters? Well now you can. Head on over to @JoseMalaTrotters on onlyfans.com."

Marler continued, fanning himself dramatically: "Be careful though, feel the heat in here? It's from my feet. They're clean as well. Really clean. Unless of course you want them to be dirty," before laughing uncontrollably.

Fans reacted warmly, with many calling him hilarious. Some joked they were "traumatised" by the video, while others called him a "legend" and predicted it would become a "retirement fund."

Celebrity Traitors

Marler joined the first-ever celebrity edition of The Traitors UK, which premiered in early October. Entering as a Faithful, he joined a glittering line-up that included Stephen Fry, Charlotte Church and Alan Carr, all filmed at Ardross Castle in Scotland.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the show tasks contestants with completing challenges to grow a cash prize while identifying secret Traitors. A long-time follower of the series, Marler jumped at the chance to be part of it, describing it as a dream opportunity.

"I'm a big fan of the show. I'm really excited to meet the national treasure that is Stephen Fry," he said before entering. "I suspect I'll get on there and no one will have a clue who I am. They'll be like, 'Are you here to fit the mics?'"

Marler's straightforward approach at the roundtables has made him a talking point, with fans divided over his confrontational but genuine demeanor - a dynamic reminiscent of his rugby career.

Regret over 'bully' behaviour

Looking back on his playing days, Marler has been open about times he acted like a "bully," blaming rugby's hyper-masculine culture for encouraging that mindset. In a recent appearance on Great Company with Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, he expressed remorse for creating tension among team-mates.

"I was often described as poisonous throughout my career. I could either use my powers for good or for evil - and more often than not I'd lean into the evil side," he said.

"I look back at that go, f***, the amount of people that I've made feel uncomfortable, I don't want to do that now, I don't want to be like that now."

Marler also revealed that conflicts with team-mates he'd been "horrible" to played a big role in his early retirement. "In my last two years at Harlequins, a lot of my group had retired and moved on... and I hadn't made any effort to make new friends or engaging with the younger team-mates," he admitted.

"I was an outsider, through my own fault... I'd been horrible to a number of the team-mates, so they weren't going to make an effort. So I was like f*** I need to get out of here."

He added: "It wasn't fair on the group [for me to stay]. I felt like this bad smell in the corner that at any moment could say something and even the coaches would be like, 'F****** hell.'"

In addition to his notorious grabbing incident, Marler faced bans for verbal misconduct. In 2016, he was handed a two-match suspension and fined £20,000 for using discriminatory language towards Wales prop Samson Lee.

He was later given a six-week ban (with four suspended) in 2022 for "conduct prejudicial to the game" after making insulting comments toward Bristol Bears flanker Jake Heenan.