David Beckham Reveals His Fear of Frogs, Gets Called a 'Wimp' on BBC

(Reuters)

We're not going to pretend that a slimy frog grazing against our ankles wouldn't scare the living daylights out of us, so we don't know why we expected more from David Beckham.

The retired soccer star recently filmed a travel documentary for BBC called "Into the Unknown," in which he and his friends hop on their motorbikes and venture into the Brazilian rainforest. Along the way, they encounter rough terrain, remote tribes, and a whole host of creepy wildlife — Beckham's least favorite being the frogs.

In an interview with fellow BBC traveler and Monty Python member Michael Palin, Beckham relayed his fear of the small amphibians. "On this trip, I was … not a big fan of spiders," he admitted, "but frogs were the thing I was kind of not sure I wanted to come across … and one of the first animals that we saw was a bright orange frog which unnerved me even more."

And for his candor, Beckham was rewarded by being called a wimp. "You are a wimp really," joked Palin. "David Attenborough would have interviewed it!"

Another highlight of the trip was meeting the natives, Beckham said. He encounter tribesmen who didn't know who he was, which he fully expected, but he also met some who didn't understand the concept of soccer.

"[It was] the first time I've ever had to explain what soccer is to anybody. Except Victoria," Beckham laughed.

Furthermore, he found himself in another awkward situation with an especially talkative — and nude — native.

While sitting on the ground, working with the villagers, Beckham told Palin that one particular inhabitant walked over to introduce himself. "There was one of the tribesman that was completely painted in black, and had no clothes on," Beckham began. "It's a funny moment, because I'm trying to look everywhere apart from where my eyeline would have been."

Watch part of Palin and Beckham's Q&A below, and be sure to check your local listings to see when "Into the Unknown" airs in your area.