A Celebrity Traitors finalist has spoken about how they approach any potential health problems after they were asked if they were concerned about damage done to them in their former career13:30, 29 Jun 2026A member of the Celebrity Traitors cast has opened up about their health as they continue to enjoy a productive second career.‌Joe Marler, 35, was a legendary player for the Harlequins rugby team for 13 years between 2009 and 2024. During his playing career, he also took to the pitch for the England rugby team, appearing 95 times and representing them at several major tournaments.‌Following the conclusion of his playing career, he has become a well-known podcast host and personality, reaching the final of a season of Celebrity Traitors, going on to lose out toAlan Carr.‌However, in recent weeks, Joe has addressed his health and talked about whether he worries about the toll rugby may have taken on his body and whether he’s worried about any neurological illness coming down the line.Speaking to The Times, he was frank and stoic about the matter. He said: “If I have damaged my brain, then the damage is done already. I’d rather not know.“I’m a head in the sand kind of guy. There’s not a lot I can do about it now. As long as you are aware of the dangers, then it is up to you whether you choose to play the sport or not.”‌In the same interview, Joe talked about how the end of his playing career affected him, particularly the dramatic drop-off in exercise.He said: “Exercising less affected me physically and mentally. When I stopped playing, the drive and the motivation dropped off.‌“Slowly each week I was melting like a wheelie bin. I was feeling really bad about myself. I’d look in the mirror and think, ‘Oh God, what’s happened to me?’“I now go to the gym about four or five times a week, and I’ve been feeling so much better physically, but mainly emotionally and mentally.”This isn’t the first time Joe has spoken about his post-playing career, with Joe also talking to GQ about his attitude towards retirement and how it had been hard to deal with the change.‌He admitted: “Yes. I struggle with not being part of a team…I definitely underestimated after rugby how much that would affect me, being on my own a lot.”Fortunately, Joe explained, he had former teammates to lean on and reach out to, who told him that what he was feeling was completely normal.Article continues belowHe added: “I reached out to a couple of them and said, ‘Lads, this is how I'm feeling. I'm really struggling.’ They were like, ‘That’s completely normal, this is how we felt — the lack of structure, the lack of connection day to day with the same people, the lack of purpose, getting after something every week, each month, every season.’“So I went, ‘When does it pass?’ And they were like, ‘Mate, it's fine. It takes about five years.’ And I went, ‘Really!’”