Two seconds after QEII died, Mike Tindall signed up to compete on a tacky reality show called I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. He was eliminated before the final, but not before he was photographed assaulting a female crew member on the production. Tindall did make six-figures from the whole tacky extravaganza though – not only was he paid for the show, his profile was boosted enough that he got some sponsors like Domino’s and Amazon. All in all, a nice payday for a few months of “work.” Tindall also has a podcast where he gossips about sports, celebrity and royalty, and it turns out that he’s organized some kind of podcast tour too. And now this: Tindall is taking part in yet another reality show.
Mike Tindall is set to appear on the small screen once more, following his successful appearance on I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of Here last year. The husband of King Charles’ niece Zara and former rugby international, 44, will appear on new ITV reality show Grand Slammers.
Alongside other players from the England Rugby team that won the 2003 World Cup, Mike will enter HMP The Mount prison and attempt to build and train a team of inmates strong enough to compete against a formidable rival, the Australians. The other players entering the facility – which is home to one of the only remaining rugby pitches inside an adult male English prison – include Captain Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Phil Vickery, Jason Robinson, Will Greenwood, Ben Cohen, Mike Tindall and Matt Dawson.
According to the production company behind the programme, which will feature two 90-minute shows, the series will offer a ‘vivid insight into the power of sport to change lives as the England legends open up to inmates about how rugby had a profound impact on them during formative periods and gave them a purpose in life’.
Mike’s return to the small screen comes as he appeared to ramp up work in recent months, appearing on I’m A Celebrity and a number of advertising campaigns, including for Domino’s and Amazon. He also recently announced that his podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby would tour across the UK, with 17 dates set to take place. The 17 date tour will start at the end of October and continue throughout November and December.
Honestly, this one doesn’t sound as tacky as the last one. The Mail quotes the producer of the show at length, explaining that the rugby training is a way to combat recidivism and I sort of get that. It’s tricky, though, when you consider that some/many of the imprisoned men have likely been convicted of violent crimes, and now a TV producer and the king’s nephew-in-law will be spending all of this time humanizing them and teaching them a violent sport. In any case, the Tindalls are really cashing in now that QEII has passed. The royal commentators sniff and say that Charles will be keeping his eye on this stuff, but that sounds like just another bluff. Like, “the palace is reviewing the Sussexes’ contracts” kind of bluff.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall arrive for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on day two of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. The National Service marks The Queen’s 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Public service is at the heart of the event and over 400 recipients of Honours in the New Year or Birthday Honours lists have been invited in recognition of their contribution to public life. Drawn from all four nations of the United Kingdom, they include NHS and key workers, teaching staff, public servants, and representatives from the Armed Forces, charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups.,Image: 696630234, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty O’Connor / Avalon
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- London, UK, 14th Sep 2022. Zara and Mike Tindall. The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Westminster Hall. It is followed by the Queen’s four children, including King Charles III, who proceed into Westminster Hall for a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The service is also attended by senior figures in Parliament and the House of Lords, the Church of England and others. The Queen’s coffin will lie in state following the service. Members of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Household Division will guard the coffin.,Image: 722679318, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II on September 14, 2022 in London, England. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lay in state until the early morning of her funeral. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.,Image: 722679983, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Christopher Furlong / Avalon
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- Zara Mike Tindall at the State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,Image: 724228781, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Camera Press Rota, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon
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- Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall arrive at the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom, on 06 May 2023.,Image: 774198099, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Phil Harris / Avalon
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- Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall at the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom, on 06 May 2023.,Image: 774203408, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: James Veysey/Shutterstock / Avalon
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- Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall in the Royal Box viewing the Coronation Concert held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire, to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.,Image: 774476937, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok / Avalon
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- Mike and Zara Tindall arriving ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, central London. Featuring: Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Even his ugly face screams “tacky.”
Are they paying the prisoners? No. Then gross. This is exploitative. If you are honestly trying to reduce recidivism and improve the lives of (soon-to-be-former) inmates, then do this as a private charity event or program where you’re not seeking publicity and acting for the cameras. Exploitation and literal slave labor for the cameras. Just…gross.
They have to be playing these former players a lot of money to get them on the show. I mean the idea behind it seems noble enough but hopefully the participating prisoners will be getting a good appearance fee as well as the former players.
Bellend doing bellend things. Are the prisoners going to get paid as well? If not, then this is just exploitation masked as a game show.
Let these prisoners turn on them!
Bellend needs to go!
Also, will the professional players get to go home every night to sleep in their own beds, eat their own food, etc? This is so exploitative.
Someone needs to zip up this bell end. It just keeps turning up.
Well at least he’s working…
They got the location of his next ‘charity act’ right. He’ll fit right in.
This isn’t so bad, it has some redeeming factors. Why can’t Mike get a sportscaster job on the U.K.’s equivalent of ESPN?
What is the point of being a member of the BRF if you have no wealth? How can a woman, a grandmother, worth hundreds of millions leave her grandchildren not provided for? If she had left them money this would not be happening. Base on inheritance law she could have made provisions all these years that were not taxable as long as she lived 7 years past the date of the gift.
Unless you are the firstborn, you are royally f*cked. (Pun intended)
I hope one of the inmates knocks the ugly off his face. Accidentally of course 😉.
@susanCollins, and Susan I want to start a crowd funding page so we can pay to keep him in there once filming has finished!
The power of sport to rehabilitate…. Sounds familiar. I wonder if rugby patrons William and Kate will go anywhere near this.
I had the same thought along those lines, as well. Will the BRF turn out to support this, but not their military vets?
From what I can tell, Zara and Mike make their money due to being royal adjacent. Which I don’t even care about. It’s more that Harry and Meghan offered to still do work for the monarchy while making their own money. And weren’t allowed.
Sure they make their own money, still it is not enough to buy their own home, living off the taxpayers through Anne.
They live in the Gatcombe Park estate for tax purposes. I read an interesting article about this a while back. The whole estate was restructured so that when Anne passed away the estate goes to her children tax free. In order to qualify ,the horse business on the estate belongs to Zara. She and her brother also own their homes on the estate. Somehow business and home ownership figures in but don’t know how. Too complicared for me which is why I am not a financial advisor.Gatcombe is financially independent and receives no tax money which is why a death tax restructuring was possible.
Who would want to watch this goon do anything?
Tacky. So tacky.
Someone has been inspired by Harry’s Invictus Games 😝
Can’t wait for the royal rota to start referencing and comparing IG to this in their promotional articles to come.
What a bunch of hypocrites
He’s hot on Harry’s heels.