Gareth Thomas detailed the horrific abuse he has been subject to for being gay and having HIV on Sunday night’s episode of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The former Welsh rugby player, 49, took part in the show filmed in Vietnam where a host of stars were pushed to their limits on the course.
During the second instalment of the show Gareth was chosen for a one-on-one chat with the course instructors.
The show returned to TV screens featuring chief instructor Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham and his directing staff (DS) Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox, Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver.
As they interviewed him about his mindset he told how he has been ‘subjected to s**t’ all his life but still refuses to be the victim.
Emotional: Gareth Thomas detailed the horrific abuse he has been subject to for being gay and having HIV on Sunday night’s episode of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins
Intense: The former Welsh rugby player, 49, took part in the show filmed in Vietnam where a host of stars were pushed to their limits on the course
Digging deep: During the second instalment of the show Gareth was chosen for a one-on-one chat with the course instructors
He told how he remembers hearing crowds of rugby fans chanting that he was a ‘f****t’ – while people still move away from him in restaurants as they believe they could get HIV from him.
He said in his interview: ‘I struggle with myself. In my life I have been subject to so much s**t but I refuse to be the victim.’
Speaking about his rugby career he added: ‘I wanted to represented my country. Those that didn’t like I was gay couldn’t drop it I was petrified of people thinking I was gay.
‘For some matches there were people in crowd calling me a f****t for 90 minutes straight.
’10 years down the line I was blackmailed by someone who was going to say if I had HIV.’
He added: ‘HIV is not a limit to my physical and mental capabilities but people move away from me in a restaurant, they think that is where transmission comes from. They go to shake my hand and then stop.’
Thomas, who came out as gay in 2009, initially didn’t tell his family and friends about his condition, fearing he would be ‘treated like a leper’.
HIV (human immuno-deficency virus) attacks the body’s immune system. Those diagnosed with the virus once had a bleak prospect.
Tough times: As they interviewed him about his mindset he told how he has been ‘subjected to s**t’ all his life but still refuses to be the victim (seen playing rugby in 2006)
Terrible: He told how he remembers hearing crowds of rugby fans chanting that he was a ‘f****t’ – while people still move away from him in restaurants as they believe they could get HIV from him
Stars: Gareth was joined by 15 other stars on this year’s Celebrity SAS series including MP Matt Hancock, TOWIE stars Amber Turner and James Argent, singer Siva Kaneswaran, Liberty X star Michelle Heaton and athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton are part of the line up
Breaking down: Elsewhere on the show reality star Amber, 30, was also pulled in for a chat with the fierce course instructors after they accused her of being ‘arrogant’
But with modern medicine, it can be fully controlled by drugs which stop it developing into AIDS.
Gareth was joined by 15 other stars on this year’s Celebrity SAS series including MP Matt Hancock, TOWIE stars Amber Turner and James Argent, singer Siva Kaneswaran, Liberty X star Michelle Heaton and athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton are part of the line up.
Singer Gareth Gates, model and TV personality Danielle Lloyd, former glamour model Melinda Messenger, Love Island’s Montana Brown and Teddy Soares, Hollyoaks’ Kirsty-Leigh Porter and ex footballer Jermaine Pennant are also taking on the challenge.
Elsewhere on the show reality star Amber, 30, was also pulled in for a chat with the fierce course instructors after they accused her of being ‘arrogant’.
Finding it difficult: There she opened up about the abuse she receives for being on The Only Way Is Essex
Hard: She broke down in tears as she explained: ‘I am emotional person. With what I do every move I make is judged and commented on I’m called this and that about everything’
There she opened up about the abuse she receives for being on TOWIE.
She broke down in tears as she explained: ‘I am emotional person. With what I do every move I make is judged and commented on I’m called this and that about everything. I put a lot of pressure on myself.
‘When I first joined I was thrown in the deep end and it’s hard people having such negative opinions of me. I have matured now and in the past I haven’t handled stuff the best.’
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins airs on Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm.
