Originally from Bridgend in Wales, Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas became a professional rugby player in 1995; after taking 100 caps for his country and taking part in no less than four winning rugby league challenges Gareth retired in 2011 but continues to rank in the top 20 try scorers in the world. Upon retirement Gareth Thomas became a dedicated sports speaker and media star.Gareth Thomas has appeared on a number of high profile reality TV series including Celebrity Big Brother where his popularity saw him through to the final three contestants. Thomas has also appeared on Dancing on Ice and as a pundit and commentator for a number of important rugby union games for the BBC.Beyond the work as a rugby speaker Gareth Thomas is probably best known as the first openly gay rugby player in the UK; after coming out in 2009 Gareth has spoken about the stigma of homosexuality within the sports industry. An active supporter of ChildLine, Thomas has stated that, although he doesn’t know if coming out has made his life easier or not, he hopes that his doing so will help other young gay sportsman seek support from charities such as ChildLine.
