Gareth Thomas is one of the most successful and famous Welsh rugby players of all time. He's also celebrated for being the first rugby player in the world to come out as gay. But when he was diagnosed with HIV, he was wracked with fear because of the stigma the condition carries. He started telling a few people close to him about his HIV status, but one of his confidants started blackmailing him. Gareth decided to take matters into his own hands and reveal his secret in a very public way.  He's written a book called Stronger.

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Saskia Edwards

Picture: Gareth Thomas during an RBS Six Nations Championship match in 2006
Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Gareth Thomas is one of the most successful and famous Welsh rugby players of all time. He's also celebrated for being the first rugby player in the world to come out as gay. But when he was diagnosed with HIV, he was wracked with fear because of the stigma the condition carries. He started telling a few people close to him about his HIV status, but one of his confidants started blackmailing him. Gareth decided to take matters into his own hands and reveal his secret in a very public way. He's written a book called Stronger. Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Saskia Edwards Picture: Gareth Thomas during an RBS Six Nations Championship match in 2006 Credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Rugby star Gareth Thomas: Strong, vulnerable and HIV positive

<p>Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. 
 
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Our guests come from every corner of the globe: from Burundi to Beverly Hills, New Zealand to North Korea, Rajasthan to Rio. And their stories can be about anything: tales of survival, humour, resilience and intrigue. From the mind-blowing account of the Japanese man trapped in his own reality TV show, to the Swedish women rescued from lions by a tin of spam. It’s life’s wild side, in stereo. </p><p>Lives Less Ordinary is brought to you by the team behind Outlook, the home of true life storytelling on BBC World Service radio for nearly 60 years.
 
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Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Our guests come from every corner of the globe: from Burundi to Beverly Hills, New Zealand to North Korea, Rajasthan to Rio. And their stories can be about anything: tales of survival, humour, resilience and intrigue. From the mind-blowing account of the Japanese man trapped in his own reality TV show, to the Swedish women rescued from lions by a tin of spam. It’s life’s wild side, in stereo. Lives Less Ordinary is brought to you by the team behind Outlook, the home of true life storytelling on BBC World Service radio for nearly 60 years. Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784 You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

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Rugby star Gareth Thomas: Strong, vulnerable and HIV positive

Rugby star Gareth Thomas: Strong, vulnerable and HIV positive

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