British royal reality star! Meet Queen Elizabeth’s grandson-in-law Mike Tindall on I’m a Celebrity – the former rugby player married Zara and once ripped his pants while dancing for Princess Anne
The competition show brings together a group of celebrities who need to toughen it out in the middle of the Australian jungle without any luxurious comforts … and Tindall has quickly become a fan favourite among the viewers, reported British media.
Here’s what you need to know about him …
He is a former professional rugby player
Tindall, 44, was born in Otley, West Yorkshire and joined the Bath Rugby team when he was just 18 years old. He then played for both Bath and Gloucester throughout his career as well as for the England team from 2000 to 2011. During this time, Tindall was with the England team when it won the 2003 World Cup. He had also competed in 11 Six Nations Championships.
Meet Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret’s granddaughter
After his 17-year career, Tindall announced his retirement in 2014 on Twitter, writing, “I have been lucky to play with/against some great players, two great clubs and had some amazing times. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career!”
He met his wife at a rugby game
According to Hello! magazine, Mike first met his future wife Zara during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The same source reported that the two swapped numbers and she invited him to the North Cotswolds Hunt Dance back in the UK.
“I just really liked her. It wasn’t love at first sight – I wasn’t looking for romance. But, naturally, I wasn’t unmoved by her. She is a stunning woman. There was something there,” he recounted, per Hello! magazine.
The two reportedly became inseparable, quickly hitting it off as they also shared the same ideals in sportsmanship, as Zara is a former Olympic equestrian.
“That we understand the needs of a sportsperson at the highest level … we understand each other’s highs and lows in sports,” Mike told Hello! magazine.
Air hostess to millionaire: meet Kate Middleton’s lookalike mum Carole
He lives in Princess Anne’s gorgeous estate
In 2018, the Tindalls submitted plans to add a conservatory for increased floor space in their new kitchen and dining room areas. The same publication also stated that they have their own gym, too.
Reportedly, the royal couple previously lived in a US$2 million (£1.69 million) property in Cheltenham.
5 of the Sultan of Brunei’s most lavish supercars – out of his 7,000 rides
The Tindalls are not working royals
After he bid farewell to his rugby career in 2014, Mike began co-hosting a podcast called The Good, the Bad, and the Rugby with James Haskell and Alex Payne. He is also heavily involved in charity work and donates much of his time to Cure Parkinson’s.
Princess Anne once saw him in his underwear
During his time on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! Tindall revealed that his mother-in-law Princess Anne once saw him in his underwear.
Beyond The Crown: Mohamed Al-Fayed’s 6 biggest controversies of all time
The wardrobe malfunction happened at his wife’s 30th birthday party, he said. Apparently, Tindall was showing off a dance move for Princess Anne when he accidentally ripped his trousers. What made matters worse was the rude slogan “nibble my nuts”, which was written on his boxer shorts to which Princess Anne replied: “I’d rather not.”
And that’s not even the first time Tindall has torn his formal attire, as he shared more anecdotes on the reality show. He said he always brings spare suits to formal events as they are not made for dancing.
“I went to a wedding, ripped a suit, they were like, ‘Oh my God, what are you going to do?’ I was like, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got a spare,’” he said on the show. “They were like, ‘Who brings a spare suit?’ Someone who rips a lot of trousers brings a spare suit.”
Tindall was awarded an MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2007 in recognition of his achievements in sport, according to Brit Royals.
- Considering the British royal family’s conservatism, Tindall surprised fans when he was seen on UK reality survival show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me out of Here!
- The former professional rugby player met his wife at the 2003 World Cup and spilled the beans on the series about his wardrobe malfunction with Princess Anne