[1] Watabe currently serves as a co-MC with Chisato Moritaka in the Fuji TV program Love Music.
In 1993, when he was in his second year in university Watabe was invited from his high school classmate Kazuya Kojima to say that he "will not laugh with you" or "have only you".
(According to Arashi no Shukudai-kun, aired on Monday, 14 January 2008) He graduated from the second year of Jinrikisha Comedy School JCA.
On April 11, 2017, Watabe married fashion model and actress Nozomi Sasaki, who is sixteen years younger than him.
[4][5] In June 2020, Shūkan Bunshun published allegations that Watabe had been involved in extramarital affairs throughout their relationship, some of which involved secret meetings at accessible toilet restrooms in Roppongi Hills, and for which he would pay his partner 10,000 yen in cash.