Watch: Gareth Thomas talks coming out in inspiring Guinness ad
Out rugby star Gareth Thomas features in an inspiring new advert for Guinness, in which he walks about how alone he felt before coming out to his team mates.
The retired rugby player, who came out in 2009, is shown on the pitch during the ad, telling the viewer through voiceover:
“Every impact, every rib cracked, every bone broken. That was nothing compared to the demons tearing me apart. In my darkest hour, I turned to my team mates. Telling them I was gay – that was the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” he says.
“But when I needed them the most, they were there for me, Thomas continues, as he’s shown walking onto the pitch with his team.
The ad is part of a larger campaign from Guiness “celebrating stories of strength of character and integrity from the world of rugby. Rather than focus on physical attributes of what makes a rugby player, this campaign looks to inner qualities like courage, empathy and resilience,” say Guinness.
“The film celebrates the courage of Gareth, and most importantly, the empathy shown by his teammates when he came out, showing that even when he felt he was on his own and at his lowest point, he was always part of a team.”
More stories:
Keegan Hirst’s wife: ‘I’ve been in a dark place, but I’m coming through it’
New public meeting to pose the question: ‘Whose Pride is it?’