Mike Tindall is usually incredibly private about his marriage with his adoring wife, Zara Tindall. But on Wednesday, he made an incredibly candid comment about his relationship.
The glimpse into their marriage was shared by the former rugby star on the brand new ITV1 & ITVX documentary Grand Slammers which will be on our screens tonight and tomorrow evening at 9pm.
The new show follows members of England’s winning 2003 squad as they reunite to train a team of prisoners to compete against the Australian rugby team.
Whilst being interviewed on the show Mike revealed: “Everyone thinks that just by marrying Zara that means it’s all fine and dandy… But that doesn’t stop the fact that you need a job. And it’s not that easy, you know – you get quite institutionalised into rugby, it’s a way of life and you leave the game and that’s not there.
“I don’t think you can ever sort of describe when you’re so used to being around that many people, and understanding, because of it being ingrained in you, where you fit in to then not being that person.
“Zara would say if she was honest, it was probably a year it took me to figure out what I was, who I was going to be. You’ve got to then go carve where the next path is – you can never replace going to work with 35 of your best friends every day.”
The rugby stars will enter HMP The Mount – home to one of the only remaining rugby pitches inside an adult male English prison.
When asked why his beautiful wife is such a wonderful mum, he said: “Her passion her compassion, her dedication I think they are the foundations of any great mother, it’s just born in.
“She punishes herself for going to work because she doesn’t want to leave them, I take my hat off to all women out there.”
He also revealed that his daughters have certainly inherited his sporty side and even attend rugby sessions every week.
“Both Mia and Lena go to Minchinhampton Rugby Club on a Sunday and they are only nine and four so we’ve got to give them a bit of time before the pressure comes on but they love all sports and they play rugby as well.”
