Rugby champ Beau Ryan is kicking different goals these days. He tells Matt Myers about playing drag, his crush on Ricky Martin, getting his goolies examined, and his Sunday Night Takeaway!
You joined Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris, as Sunday Night Takeaway’s roving reporter. What’s been the oddest moment so far?
Beau Ryan: I lot of weird stuff happens to me, man! A couple of weeks back we went to St. Clair, and mixing with the locals was great. For some reason I draw Middle Eastern people to me, and half way through the shoot we started smoking the shisha – which I may add is legal. So here I was in an area I’d never been before, and yet I’d never felt so welcomed and safe.
Some have suggested your segment In For A Dollar could be it’s own show!
Oh yes, I’m pushing for that one hundred percent! I reckon we could do In For A Dollar in prime time, and run Sunday Night Takeaway off the back of it! (Laughing). We film that segment all day, and I could make ten of them each time, so my hand is definitely in the air for a separate show!
The charismatic Beau Ryan, host of Channel Ten’s Sunday Night Takeaway
You’ve gone from the rugby field to the entertainment spotlight. Did you ever foresee that when you were younger?
As a little kid, everywhere I went I had a footy in my hand. It was a mixture between wanting to play footy and to entertain people. I always tried to make people laugh, whether at a family barbeque, a party or at school, which got me in a heap of trouble! But I never dreamt I’d be doing what I’m doing now. I always did want to be an entertainer – even though people thought it would be stripping, it’s not. Though I have stripped before! (Laughing).
Chris and Julia also host I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! If asked, would you go into the jungle?
Mate, I’d be up for anything. If Channel Ten asked me to go into the jungle…I would! But I’d prefer it took place in Cronulla! Maybe I could be a three-way with Chris and Julia, and stay in a six star hotel with them…as a team!
When you first met Dr Chris, you said he was so beautiful you couldn’t stop looking at him…
Yeah! He has this presence about him, and that’s a fair thing for me to say, as I’ve met so many athletes and movie stars. His change room is next to mine, and every now and then I’ll peep through the door…and he’s fit! A lot of people say to me “Yeah he surfs, but he’s not that fit.” But, I can tell you he’s legit fit! He’s got a six-pack, a good chest and enough Botox to look like he’s still in his thirties!
So who would you turn gay for?
Ricky Martin in a heartbeat, but my wife already thinks I’m gay with him! (Laughing). I’m good friends with him. I first met Ricky at Channel Nine, and then I interviewed him half a dozen times on The Footy Show. Now every time we go to LA we stay at his, and we get on so well. I don’t know what his husband thinks (Laughing). He’s like family to us, and we went over recently to meet his little girl.
So the next question ‘Who’s your best gay mate?’ pretty much explains itself?
Oh yeah, it’s Ricky for sure.
The charismatic Beau Ryan, host of Channel Ten’s Sunday Night Takeaway
You transformed into the most amazing drag queen for the 40th Mardi Gras. How did you feel that night?
Being on The Footy Show I’ve done a lot of stuff, but I’d never done full drag for a Mardi Gras. It started last year on the 40th Anniversary with Stan, and we did a drag race down at the starting line. It’s a party within a party down there! So I jumped at the opportunity to do it again this year, and Roxxxy came and surprised us, which was great. The funny thing was that when people were looking at the photos of us, they didn’t know which one was Roxxxy! I’ve been to half a dozen Mardi Gras, and I’ll keep on going! You haven’t lived until you’ve done full drag, and walked a kilometre up Oxford Street in your wife’s heels.
Speaking of which, you were also part of the Kinky Boots #JustBe campaign. Did you find wearing those boots empowering?
Yes I did! It was fantastic, and the boots just felt right. That probably ignited the fire in me.
I seem to remember while on Oxford Street, a guy in leather was really interested in your…um crotch?
Yeah, well I also seem to draw gay people to me, at the best of times little alone fully dressed in drag. But while I was hosting on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, those pictures from the event came up in the Daily Mail, and that guy actually rang up! His claim to fame was that he was on his knees in front of me!
Last month Hamish Blake told us about being tattooed by Pink, but you’ve had your pubes waxed by Zac Efron! You win!
That’s right! I’ve had pubes, groin, chest, and armpits waxed by Zac Efron. I flew to Miami for the Baywatch junket and asked Zac if he could wax my chest. The publicist was shitting herself and said, “No, this isn’t happening!” So Zac rang Dwayne and they were down for it. I knew I was in trouble when they poured the hot wax on me, and it hurt like hell! My pain threshold is low. I also didn’t realise that after a day you get the ingrown hairs…oh my god!
You know being waxed by Zac is pretty much a fantasy for our readers?
Yeah, I still get notifications on Facebook and Twitter. I ended up on E News and some sort of gay feed, which kept getting shared. Something like “Zac Efron waxes Oz Hunk Fooballer’s Pubes”. But they also thought I was gay, so I just went along with it.
Beau Ryan, host of Channel Ten’s Sunday Night Takeaway
Didn’t you also have your nuts examined live on radio?
Yeah, while off air, one of the producers asked how I was feeling and I said to be honest my right nut hurts a little. As it turns out, one of my producers is married to Dr Kiis, so he came into the studio and examined my nuts, live on air. Everyone jokes about it, but we should really have our nuts checked. I’m only still young, but it gave me piece of mind. I’ll think everything’s cancer!
Who’s your diva?
Dua Lipa. My favourite song of hers’ is Electricity. I like her music, but also I like that she wears Adidas. When I’m picking sporting gear for my wife Kara, I’ll walk into a shop and pretty much whatever Dua Lipa’s wearing, I get for my wife!
You made your acting debut in the film Chasing Comets with another DNA Straight Mate Dan Ewing. What was that experience like?
Dan Ewing slept on my couch for a week while we filmed. I couldn’t get rid of him! He was at home with my wife smashing vodkas while I was doing The Footy Show! He was basically a househusband while I was working! (Laughing) Seriously, I really loved making that movie, and I found it much easier than live TV. If you can do theatre and live TV, then you can do anything. Live TV is like a drug and it prepared me so well for everything. I also played Vince Fontaine in Grease: The Arena Experience. Before the show I peaked out the curtain to see 8,000 people and I’ve never been so nervous in all my life. In football you’re in a team and you know what to expect, but with this I had no idea. I was shaking, yet afterwards I just wanted to do more.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
Mum and dad have always been there, but I’d probably say my wife and manager. My wife and I have been through everything together. Mum and dad have raised me to be who I am, so I love them to death. My manager is like a brother and dad, which means a lot to me.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Nothing is ever as good as it seems, and nothing is ever as bad as it seems. I’ll get good news and I’m over the moon about it, and then I’ll get bad news and I’m really depressed. These days I get good and bad news every day, but my wife and kids keep me grounded.
Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction?
My wife did at the Logies, where her nipple came out! (Laughing) Mate I could be walking around with one of my nuts hanging out, and it doesn’t seem to embarrass me!
Like on radio!
(Laughing) Yeah, I don’t seem to care about those things. In fact, I’ll mean to have my fly undone!
Are you a briefs, fitted boxers, or free-baller?
Briefs, and for bed I wear boxers, but for when I’m training, for instance, I like some control down there!
And while being examined on radio you’re definitely a freeballer!
I was like a five-year-old boy pissing at school, with my shorts down around my knees. I was like that in front of Kyle, and I couldn’t have been more vulnerable!
Sunday Night Takeaway screens 7.30pm Sundays on Network Ten
A rainy day in Cronulla! Beau is so humble, he invited me back to his house.
Beau Ryan gives us an idea on how a ‘Beau’ DNA cover would look!
