Gareth Thomas has revealed the heartbreaking comments he has received after opening a pub with his husband following his HIV diagnosis
Former rugby player Gareth Thomas invited his family to share his debut garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, admitting his HIV diagnosis is “hard for my whole family”. Husband Stephen Williams-Thomas finds he is praised as a “great man” for marrying the star.
“It’s like you’re a faulty good,” says Gareth, speaking candidly. The couple run a pub together, Ty-risha in Bridgend, but Gareth, 50, endures negative comments, including about him helping in the kitchen.
“Somebody said, ‘I’m not going to come there for food in case Gareth peels the chips.’ And I was like, well, why wouldn’t he come here? ‘In case he cuts his finger.’
“That’s a discriminative comment, but purely just because of his ignorance and lack of knowledge.” However, Gareth, whose Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma garden features at the flower show, says he remains “hands on” behind the bar.
“I’m fully hands on,” he says. “There’s interaction with society, the bar is almost like a security. “I can pull the perfect pint, though some people actually said to me that it looked like a map of the world when I tried to do a shamrock.”
The Welsh rugby union star was diagnosed with HIV in 2012, and revealed to the Sunday Mirror that he had contracted the virus in an emotional interview in 2019.
But he finds he endures more discrimination every time he opens up about the issue. Gareth has received death threats for his efforts to reduce the stigma of HIV, but sees his role as a campaigner to persevere.
“People scream in my face – but I absorb that discrimination, and I see it as an opportunity for them to learn,” he says.”If somebody comes to you with hatred and you go back around with hatred, then it’s never solved.
“Hatred can create more hatred. If somebody comes to me with hatred and I come back with love, then their hatred is almost diminished.
“And I don’t want to be that person who comes back with hatred. I want to represent the community.” He continues: “Sadly, we live in an environment where I have to assess my environment every day. Thank God I’ve got my family’s support.
“But I put everything into playing rugby. So I put everything into being a campaigner as I did through my rugby. I have that mentality. If you make me the underdog, then I’ll come back until you make me the favourite. I want to be an example.”
His parents and husband, Stephen, visited his garden for a VIP event last week. Gareth said it was important for him to include running water, to replicate the effect nature had on him when he was struggling with his diagnosis.
“Nature saved me when I was feeling suicidal,” he said.
* The Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden features at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025, designed by Manoj Malde.
Tackle HIV is a campaign led by Gareth Thomas in partnership with ViiV Healthcare, with Terrence Higgins Trust as the charity partner, which aims to tackle the stigma and misunderstanding around HIV. For more information visit tacklehiv.org and follow @tacklehiv
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