Former England rugby union player and contestant on the BBC’s celebrity Traitors show, Joe Marler, is fronting a men’s mental health initiative in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

In a collaboration with suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), and craft beer company, Beaverton, Marler is encouraging men to have real conversations and tell their best mates that they love them.

In a video where Joe Marler is filmed telling his best friend, Chris Stark, that he loves him, he talked about how the sporting environment is built on intimidating one another and not wanting to show any weakness. However, when Stark opened up to him about a testicular cancer diagnosis it made Marler feel safe to be honest back. 

“Men care about their mates, but we don’t always say it out loud. My mates have helped me through tough times, and if you love someone, you should say it,” says Marler.

Beavertown conducted a study of 2,000 men and found that despite not talking about their feelings, 78 per cent of blokes rely on their friends for support, advice and help. 

Ninety per cent say they never talk about anything serious, and 76 per cent prefer to hide their affections in banter, but 73 per cent wish they could have deeper conversations and 67 per cent feeling their mental health would benefit if they were able to open up more to their friends.

Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, said: “Good mates are a lifeline, especially when you’re struggling. Yet we also know that too many men struggle to open up even to those closest to them.”

Mental health, the social aspect and the search for community is increasingly being cited as a reason for joining gyms and a growing number of operators are opening up spaces for men’s groups, including Life Leisure’s Andy’s Man Club at Stockport Sports Village, run in partnership with another suicide prevention charity, Andy’s Man Club. 

TMActive has just opened the East Peckham’s Men’s Shed to tackle social isolation and build community and Bristol skate park, Shredenhams runs Talk & Skate Sessions in collaboration with men’s mental health charity Talk Club, inviting men to share how they’re feeling and then skate it out.