During the June 26 episode of Celebrity Gogglebox, former England rugby player Joe Marler surprised viewers by demonstrating his Welsh language skills. While watching the LGBTQIA+ dating show I Kissed a Girl, which featured Welsh contestant Elisha, Marler began reciting Welsh phrases to his sofa partner, comedian Maisie Adam.
Marler's Welsh display
Marler started with the Welsh greeting "bore da" (good morning), leaving Adam puzzled. He then progressed to reciting lines from the famous Welsh hymn Calon Lan, including "Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus" ("I do not ask for a luxurious life"). This followed his earlier promotional work for IHG Hotels and Resorts during the Guinness Men's Six Nations, where he sang Calon Lan with a Welsh choir.
The episode also featured stars Michael Sheen, Amy Dowden, Paddy McGuinness, Vicky Pattison, and Shaun Ryder, who commented on shows like First Dates, The 1% Club, BBC News, and Police Interceptors. Dowden, from Caerphilly, and Sheen, from Port Talbot, did not use Welsh, making Marler's display unexpected.
Marler, known for his rugby career and appearance on Celebrity Traitors, has previously shown Welsh language skills in Six Nations promotions. The experience from singing with a Welsh choir clearly stuck with him, as he fluently recited the hymn on national television.
