Mike Tindall has been a well-known public figure for the majority of his adult life, but since starring on this year’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, the rugby legend as catapulted to global recognition.
Best-known for marrying Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Phillips, Mike is also a star in his own right.
But away from the royals and from his stint on I’m A Celeb, there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
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From beginning his career young to going to court for drunk-driving charges – scroll on to discover more about “man like Mike” as Babatunde Aleshe would say.
Humble Yorkshire beginnings
(Image: STUART ROBINSON)
Mike was born Michael James Tindall on October 18, 1978 at Wharfedale Hospital in Otley, West Yorkshire.
His dad Philip “Phil” Tindall, is a banker for Barclays, while his mum Linda (née Shepherd), is a social worker.
He has some interesting ancestors that include bootmakers, stonemasons and weavers.
The global star went to an independent public school, which was coincidently the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield – long before he would marry into the British Royal Family.
At the time of his schooling, Mike’s dad captained Otley Rugby Union Football Club.
Rugby career at 18
(Image: STUART ROBINSON)
Mike’s rugby career began at just 18 years of age when he joined Bath straight from school in 1997.
At the time, the centre pairing at Bath and England were Jeremy Guscott and Phil de Glanville, but after the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Mike played regularly at both club and country level.
His England debut was against Ireland at Twickenham in 2000 alongside Mike Catt. He was part of the squad that won the World Cup in Australia in 2003.
Marriage to Zara Phillips
(Image: Getty Images)
In 2010 Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Mike to Zara Phillips, the daughter of Anne, Princess Royal, and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips.
After meeting the beautiful blonde royal, who is the eldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and niece to King Charles III, the pair fell madly in love.
The couple first met during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia – something that Mike has spoken about while in the I’m A Celeb jungle.
(Image: JONO SEARLE/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
The pair got married a year later in July 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland, before 400 guests – including the royal family.
In 2014 Zara had gave birth to the couple’s first child – a baby girl named Mia Grace Tindall – at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
His wife’s next two pregnancies ended in miscarriage, before their second daughter, Lena Elizabeth Tindall was born in 2018.
A spokesperson for the couple said at the time of the first loss: “Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy
Zara later said to The Sunday Times: “Afterwards loads of people wrote to me and Mike to say they’d been through the same thing.
“In our case, it was something that was really rare; it was nature saying, ‘This one’s not right.’ For me, the worst bit was that we had to tell everyone — everyone knew.”
After losing their second child, Zara said: “You need to go through a period where you don’t talk about it because it’s too raw but, as with everything, time’s a great healer.”
They then welcomed a third child, son Lucas Philip Tindall, in 2021.
Television and media appearances
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I’m A Celeb isn’t the only television show Mike has appeared on.
In 2015 he appeared on reality television shows The Jump and Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.
Not only this, but he has co-hosted podcast House of Rugby with James Haskell and Alex Payne, before launching another podcast with them in August 2020, titled The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
In an interview with the Radio Times in 2015 he ruled out going into the I’m A Celeb jungle.
The interviewer asked about Strictly, to which he said: “Never say never.”
Then I’m A Celebrity, to which he said: “I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t find me in the jungle.”
He was then asked about Celebrity Big Brother, with Mike replying: “Another show you probably wouldn’t get me on.”
Drunk-driving charge
(Image: PA)
In January 2009, Mike was banned from driving for three years and fined £500 plus £75 costs when he appeared before Reading magistrates’ court.
He admitted being over the legal limit when he was stopped by police on the M4 near Newbury, Berkshire.
Mike admitted to drinking seven glasses of champagne, a beer, vodka and Red Bull at Cheltenham races before getting behind the wheel.
Tests showed he had a level of 91mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood compared with the drink-drive limit of 80mg.
Despite his drunk-driving charge – which is reported to have been his second – he and Zara appeared on car buff show Top Gear in June 2019.
Flashing boxers in front of Princess Anne
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
During his time in the I’m A Celeb jungle, Mike told his campmates of how he once inadvertently asked Princess Anne to “nibble his nuts” on the dancefloor.
Discussing suits in camp when the memorable moment came up in conversation, Mike said: “I love a suit. My problem with suits is I over exaggerate dancing at weddings… I rip a lot of suits, trousers and stuff.”
He explained: “The old sl*t drop gets me every time. 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.’ They were like, ‘Who brings a spare suit?’ Someone who rips a lot of trousers brings a spare suit.”
Mike then told an incredible story involving his mother-in-law Princess Anne eleven years ago.
(Image: Getty Images)
The rugby icon recalled: “Zara had like a 30th birthday, it was a disco 70s themed one, I was dancing on the dance floor, I had like flares on, full outfit but it was quite tight, nothing ever fits – rugby player’s bum and legs – so I was dancing with my mother-in-law and I did a sl*t drop in front of my mother-in-law.
“Ripped my trousers, straight in front of her. It happened to be that my boxers that I had on at that time said ‘nibble my nuts’.
“As I’ve turned round, she’s gone, ‘I’d rather not.’ I’ve gone, ‘I’m going’ and walked off.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! concludes tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVHub.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
