Who is Mike Tindall? Royal, rugby player and I am a celebrity contestant in profile

Mike Tindall makes history as the first member of the royal family I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

The former rugby player, who is married to Zara Phillips, started playing professional football for Bath shortly after leaving school aged 18. During his career on the pitch, Tindall broke his nose at least eight times.

The 44-year-old made his debut for England in 2000 and has represented his country 75 times. He was a member of the 2003 World Cup winning team and represented England in the final.

Tindall played for Gloucester from 2005 to 2014. In 2008, after suffering a serious injury on the pitch, he suffered internal bleeding, liver damage and lung damage, after which he said he was “happy just to be alive”.

In 2014 he announced his retirement from the sport and is now presenting the podcast The good guys, the bad guys and the rugby with former i am a celebrity Contestant James Haskell and presenter Alex Payne.

Tindall is also known for his position within the royal family due to his marriage to Zara Phillips.

The rugby player first met Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter, daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Mark Phillips, at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the couple announced their engagement in 2010 after receiving the Queen’s leave.

They married in Edinburgh in 2011 and now reside at Gatcombe Park, a royal estate in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire.

The couple have three children: Mia (eight), Lena (four) and Lucas (one).

Tindall was recently present at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, where he was seen comforting the Countess of Wessex’s son James.

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Speaking about the first time he met the monarch before her death on his podcast, Tindall recalled: “I got sweaty hands. I think everyone would. She’s such a legend of a woman, I still get nervous when I see her.”

As for the jungle, Tindall said he’s “strangely excited” about attending the Bushtucker Trials and wants to be the camp’s “morning motivator.”

The rugby star said he had been asked to appear on the show on a number of occasions in the past and suspected the experience would be tougher than any sports match.

“In a rugby game you know what you’re getting and when it gets difficult you know what it looks like,” he said. “It’s something you can’t predict; You don’t know where it’s going to take you, so you can’t really plan for it.

“Your ability to roll with the punches is something you have to have. Hopefully I have and I’m not overthinking things. Hopefully my personality fits that.”

Since appearing on the show, Tindall has shared an eyebrow-raising tale of how Princess Anne reacted to him dropping sl** at a party.

He also broke royal protocol by calling politicians “f***ers” on the show.

I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! airs every night at 9pm on ITV.