When Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas came out as gay to his wife and teen sweetheart Jemma he feared he’d lose her forever.

Five years since he confessed his sexuality to her, and a year and a half since he came out publicly, Gareth, 37, says their relationship remains as strong as it ever was.
And last Wednesday, on the day Gareth and Jemma would have celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, she made sure the day didn’t pass unmarked.
“Jemma texted me on Wednesday and said happy anniversary,” he booms in his Welsh accent. “It was mad receiving that text and realising we would have been married for that long. So much has happened in our lives.

“We still have a good connection and I’m so happy that I’ve been through all this and still have her in my life. I genuinely thought I’d lose so much if I came out but it just hasn’t been the case. I’m so glad I was true to myself and did it.

“We’re both in good positions in our lives now. I’m happy and she’s with a new man. So it’s a happy ending.”

But it’s not just sport’s fans that have supported the British Lions legend – who captained Wales in 2005 to their first Grand Slam victory since 1978 – Hollywood has been offering him support to. Screen legend Mickey Rourke personally approached Gareth – who is appearing in the final of Born to Shine playing the harp tonight – a year ago saying he wanted to star and produce a blockbuster film of his life.

And it very nearly didn’t come to anything because Gareth kept dodging the actor’s calls. “My phone rang and I had been training and I answered it and this guy claiming to be Mickey Rourke was on the phone,” he explains. “And I thought it was somebody taking the piss and hung up. Then went back into the changing rooms and waited for one of the lads to own up. But they didn’t.

“Then he called again two weeks later and I realised it was Mickey Rourke. He invited me to go down and meet him backstage at the Jonathan Ross show. It was like a dream. I was like: ‘Shit this could be real.’

“He was quite direct in his approach and said he wanted the rights to a film of my life. I sat on it thinking for a while, it is my life after all. It was a big thing for me to give up. We sat down first and I wanted him to understand me before I said yes.

“I didn’t want my life turned into some film in Hollywood with space ships and stuff.”

Fast forward 12 months and Mickey is preparing to start filming and the star of The Wrestler says this role will change his entire career in Hollywood. “Mickey has said this is going to be the film of his life,” says Gareth. “He told me he’s going for it and he wants an Oscar for this. He’s deadly serious. I was surprised how big a deal this was for him. It’s become something bigger than I ever could have imagined.

“The script is finished and he’s coming into town in two weeks time to announce it all. He’s got to work on his Welsh accent though. He’s getting there – but he’s got to try a bit harder. He will be moving here to Wales for a long period of time while it’s shooting and I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

The rugby ace and Hollywood star have become firm friends, and regularly make up an unlikely party trio with Joe Calzaghe. “Joe is one of my best friends and we will go out with Mickey when he’s in town,” he laughs. “But I only last a little while because things go crazy and those two can party. I like to be on my own turf when Mickey’s around, he scares me a little bit on a night out. I’ve done all that s**t and partied. I prefer staying in these days. I see which way things are swaying and I run as quick as I can.”

Gareth has no regrets at all in his decision to admit his sexuality to the butch rugby fans of the world.

“It’s been the best few years of my life since I came out,” he smiles happily. “Coming out gave me a sense of relief and pride to be able to walk down the street. The kerb was my best friend when I wasn’t out. I would be ashamed and walk with my head down. I didn’t want people to see me or be recognised. Now I’m walking with pride. If people recognise me now they maybe recognise me as a rugby player or an inspiring proud gay man. I’m proud to be recognised for who I am.

“And I don’t want people to be writing and saying ‘gay rugby player’, ‘gay this’ or ‘gay that’. You don’t write ‘straight television presenter or ‘straight footballer’. People need to move on from this kind of thing. It’s not a big deal being gay.”

Gareth now has a flat in London but freely admits he doesn’t go more than a few weeks without visiting his postman father Barry, 61, or mother Yvonne, 62, in Wales. “I love going back to Wales,” he says. “If I stay at my mum’s I’m looked after. It’s comforting still for me to go home.”

The former rugby union star, who made a record 100 appearances for his country, captaining both Wales and the British and Irish Lions, switched to league with the Crusaders in 2010 and recently signed a one-year contract extension with the club. He reveals it will most likely be his last. Life after rugby is going to be hard for him, but he says he has plans to open his own foundation giving help to teens and adults struggling to deal with their sexuality issues. Gareth explains: “I’m re-signing to play for one more year. This is the beginning of the end for me. My last year in rugby. I’m going to start a foundation and do a lot of stuff that I care about and I’m passionate about. I want to help teens and people that can’t deal with their sexuality. I always want to be seen as somebody with value.

“It’s the end of my career in rugby but after the sport ends for me I’m going to be starting a new career. I want to be known as a strong person and a rugby player.”

Gareth’s friendship with shoe designer Christian Louboutin – or Louby as he refers to him – has been much talked about. He insists he’s single and nothing is going on apart from a strong friendship. The pair are preparing to release a limited edition men’s shoe together inspired by the Welsh flag. It will be named after his rugby nickname Alfie (after the eighties comedy show).

“Louby is such a great friend,” he confesses. “Our shoe will be bought by private collectors I would think. There’s 600 of them.

“He’s part of the family really. He’s always down visiting and spoils my family rotten. He stays in my family home – not in a hotel. It’s a tiny little hotel. I know I must be the envy of every girl reading this.“My mum is kitted out in Louby’s shoes and Louby handbags. My brother’s wife has some too. He looks after us all.

“He brought this amazing glass shoe with a heel and you poured champagne through the top and drink the champagne out the front. We were all taking toots on that. I loved seeing my father – a big butch postman drinking put of a Louboutin glass heel.”

During her visit to Universal Orlando Resort, Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson and her son Cy encountered mysterious Egyptian guards at the entrance to the award-winning Revenge of the Mummy ride!

Elle has been in the US shooting and executive producing her upcoming, all-new NBC show, “Fashion Star.”

She makes the guys on stilts look small!

It’s been 10 years since Will Young became the winner of Pop Idol.
Since then he’s sold five million albums, embarked in an acting career and performed sell out shows all over Europe.
But all this success couldn’t compare to the gift of being a father – and the openly gay star says once he’s found the right man he will follow Sir Elton John and David Furnish and start a family.
“I’m ridiculously broody,” Will, 32, reveals. “And it’s annoying because right now I am single, but I want to settle down and have kids.
“My heterosexual friends are getting married and breeding, I do think I will have kids, but I think it will be in my 40s. I’ve got a little bit more growing up to do. And also I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t in a stable relationship. But Elton and David have really kicked off something inside
me.
“I don’t blame my job as the reason for me being single. The two relationships I’ve had have both been when I least expected it and when I have been at my most busiest.
“I’m in my 30s, I’m interested in gardening and listening to Radio 4, in alright shape and I’m embracing life fully. I’m thinking about doing upholstery for God’s sake. I would want a full-on unit if I were to have child. I think the change would be interesting.”
He even says he would follow Elton and David in mixing their sperm before fertilisation with a partner. “It’s mind blowing really,” he laughs. “I could actually have a kid. Would you do you and your partner in, and let one swim away and you don’t know! I think that would be best. I’ve got to find a man first though.”
The star is preparing to release his eagerly awaited fifth studio album, Echoes. An album that’s seen him take a more electro and dance inspired theme. Lead single Jealousy is already shaping up to be a number one single.
Will is thrilled he’s managed to keep his career on track – he’s been too scared of losing what he’s worked so hard for since Pop Idol.
“I didn’t and I don’t want to muck it up. I always say to myself when I get a bit drunk – is this worth screwing up your whole career for?” he explains. “Do I really want to do that and then risk losing my career? The answer is always no to be honest.
“I really mean that, there are temptations and I think I would be absolutely mortified if I was one of those people who ruin their career by getting swayed with drink and drugs.”
The star, who has appeared in acting roles in Marple, Sky Living show Bedlam and trod the boards in a Royal Exchange Theatre production of the Noel Coward play The Vortex, also cites his manager Simon Fuller, who has managed him since the beginning, as keeping him on the straight and narrow.
“I always wanted to still be doing what I do after 10 years,” Will says. “Simon Fuller is key, he’s always given me this space to do it. He’s the guy that says ‘Yeah, go and act’ or try this out. I think it’s always a test, the key thing is about the music. It’s not about the fame, the money or the parties and some forget that these days.”
And unlike former reality show winners like Steve Brookstein and Leon Jackson, Will says he has respect for the show that made him famous to begin with.
Will says: “I do feel a strong affinity with Pop Idol. I love all those reality shows I watch them the whole time.
“You can’t be a victim, you’ve got to make of it what you can. How many people get opportunities like that? I’ve also kept my feet on the ground. I am just the guy who won the talent show. It wasn’t like I was the million pound signing that they found. I was the posh boy that won a talent show
that looks a bit like Frank Spencer! I’m lucky to still be here.”

Last week it was revealed his runner-up and former friend on the show, Gareth Gates, had accepted a job singing on P+O Ferries crossing the channel. Will doesn’t laugh at all when I tell him about it – he says good luck to him and reveals he nearly suffered the same fate thanks to his dad.
“My dad said to me after Pop Idol, he would take the ferry to France for work, and he’d seen people performing on the ferries,” he giggles. “He was like ‘Darling, I’ve spoken to someone, I’ve got you a gig on the ferries!’ And I was like: ‘I’ve just won Pop Idol!’ and he was like ‘I know but it’s good money!’ I bet the money is good.
“When I did the first audition for Pop Idol, I got offered the lead in ‘We Will Rock You’ and I remember saying to my friend ‘Oh, shall I carry on doing the show?’ Obviously I’m pleased I did what I did – but one day I’ll be on a West End stage. There’s talks about a show later this year.”
On paper according to the annual rich lists Will is considered to have a personal fortune of £12.5 million. He scoffs at the thought but says he’s more than comfortable with his money. He’s just bought a town house in Hackney, that he’s busily filling with antiques and art work, and he owns a pad down in Cornwall where he enjoys surfing weekends away with friends whenever he can.
“I love those rich lists. They total up earning, before tax and I have such a laugh with my friends about it. Long may the lie continue,” he admits. “I am really into cars though, so I’ve had an old 1961 Porsche, I’ve had an old Bristol, I’ve just bought a G Wagon.
“I will still splash out on stuff, like the new house, but I will live there for 20 years. I’m moving now from Notting Hill to Hackney, and it’s too trendy. I wanted a really nice garden and I couldn’t get that where I was. I have invested a lot of money and been careful with it.
“But saying that I love bric-a-brac and furniture. I’ve just been to the Kempton Park antiques market, and bought four dining room chairs for £65.
“And I’m investing my money the co-producer of this new film Coriolanus. Ralph Fiennes has directed it and is in it. It is like do I buy a car or do I invest in a brilliant independent film, learning what it is to be a producer. And that’s been a whole new thing for me, being behind the camera. I have come in as the investing producer and I am learning and I really want to do more films. You get a real sense of achievement that what you’ve earned has gone into this and it’s created this whole story. It’s a
really cool thing.”
Famously diplomatic Will – who studied politics at Exeter University – isn’t quite so enamoured with is Prime Minister David Cameron, who he feels has made a big mistake confusing the public with his plans for a Big Society. He even says he’d like to take over as Prime Minister.
“I think that he’s f***ed it with Big Society,” he says. “I think he’s playing an OK game. But we’ve allowed people to be the victim.
“There was this mum the other day in he wake of the riots going ‘Well, what are my kids meant to be doing’, well do it yourself. You either sit back and watch it go to ruin or set up a community group. “You lobby the MP, that’s what everyone else is doing. We have pandered to a victim-state. It’s not about not helping people who aren’t in need, but it is about making people take responsibility. No-one seems to be taking responsibility. I’m going to run for Prime Minister, if I’m allowed to wear Burberry.”

Will Young’s fantastic new album Echoes is out now.

Whitney Houston’s former drug addict husband Bobby Brown is the latest star signing for this year’s Celebrity Big Brother when the show begins on Thursday.
Joining the eighties music star will be American Pie actress Tara Reid, David Hasselhoff’s ex-wife Pamela Bach and Baywatch legend Pamela Anderson, who will appear for just five days.
Other confirmed housemates for the new Channel Five show include The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs, Kerry Katona and her mother Sue, Big Pictures agency boss Darren Lyons, the Parliament Speaker’s wife Sally Bercow and Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty.
The housemates will also be joined by Irish X Factor stars Jedward – who have trumped all other UK star’s receiving a staggering £1 million to appear.
John and Edward Grimes, currently Number One in Ireland with their new album Victory, were not initially interested but sources say their manager Louis Walsh couldn’t refuse such a huge amount of money in the end.
A source says: “They couldn’t turn down a million to do the show.
“Louis wasn’t up for them doing it – after all they turned down I’m A Celeb last year. But £1 million is a lot of money.
“The boys are having ‘Jedward’ themed outfits made especially for every day in the house.”

With a face like his it was hard to figure what Pixie Lott (above) saw in boyfriend Oliver Cheshire (below) but it turns out the model isn’t just a pretty face.
“Oliver’s a really good cook and he makes me the best food. He’s does the best salads and makes amazing fish, chicken and pasta dishes. Sometimes he does stuffed peppers – it’s great.” What a catch!
And it sounds like Oliver has been a big inspiration for song material on Pixie’s forthcoming second album.
“I’ve been playing Oliver loads of tracks and he tells me which ones he likes. There are a couple I’ve played him which have been about him but I haven’t plucked up the courage yet to play all of the songs that are about him!” she laughed. “It’s a massive compliment to him as I wouldn’t mind having a song written about me! But I don’t think that’s going to happen as Oliver isn’t the best singer. I would try and teach him but I just don’t think there’s any hope. He would end up being a K-Fed type! He wants to get into acting so that’s the thing that we share in common.”
Pixie’s new Lipsy range hits stores on September 27 and new single All About Tonight is out September 4.

James Morrison sounds like a romantic guy…not! Despite being with his long-term girlfriend Gill for nearly a decade he tells me that he’s still resisting putting a ring on her finger!
“I’ve been fighting off marriage for years. I’ve never wanted to get married but I’ve had a kid with her so she deserves to get married,” he said. “The truth is that no guy voluntarily wants to get married. It’s only a piece of paper so why ruin it? I’m up for trying it but if we get divorced I’ll go f**king mental and be like ‘I told you!’ It’s not the most romantic thing but I do love her.”
And surprisingly the singer – who hooks up with Jessie J on new album The Awakening released on September 26 – revealed he isn’t happy that Broken Strings, a duet with Nelly Furtado, is his biggest hit to date.
“I was dead against doing a duet for a while because of Broken Strings as that song took me down a route that I didn’t want to go down,” he said. “When it turned out to be my most successful song I was like ‘Sh*t! How the f**k did that happen?!’ I wanted to come back from it and not do songs that were as commercial. Jessie shows a different side to her on the track and that’s what I like because fans of her album won’t be expecting it.”

Shhh
WHICH ageing Hollywood heartthrob has a big problem when it comes to the ladies. He’s only able to last three minutes in the bedroom and he’s the talk of the town!

Sienna Miller, Will.i.am and  Alan Rickman need not fear now their favourite PIX bar in trendy Notting Hill – that shut it’s doors  recently -  has opened a swanky new joint in Soho.
Naturally, I was the first invited guest to get a sneak preview and munched on some tasty tapas while being served by a Johnny Depp lookalike. Celeb spotting ahoy!!

Jonas Brothers star Joe Jonas gave me a bell this week ahead of his new single See No More being released today. The single’s co-written by Chris Brown and the hunk is currently touring with Britney Spears in NYC. “I’ve been involved in every stage of the process with this album and I’m very proud what I’ve produced,” he told me. “I’m still exactly the same guy I always have been. My dad told me to always live like you’re at the bottom even if you’re at the top. I’m a very normal person.”
He couldn’t believe the fact he was supporting Britney Spears. “It’s definitely one of those moments where I’m going to look back and be like ‘wow’. I’d love to cover her song Toxic. That’s my favourite.” That would be cool.

Will Young’s new album Echoes is seriously good. I’ve been completely immersed in Echoes this week and caught up with the man himself too. The album’s full of funk – including lead single Jealousy – and far more electro and eighties than his other stuff. Will (above with me) said: “This album has been a dream. It’s not been rushed and it’s all been very natural. It’s definitely my most confident album.”
And don’t go worrying about Will turning into a diva after ten years in the business. “My friends keep me grounded,” he laughed as we enjoyed a drink at Soho House. “There’s not a touch of Mariah Carey or J-Lo in me. I don’t even ask for smarties or skittles like you’re supposed to.” Step up that inner diva, Will!

Dancing On Ice champ Hayley Tamaddon has big career plans for the future.
Hayley told me at the Glee 3D Movie premiere this week: “Apparently I have the same nose as Lea Michele so I’d love to get asked to play the part of her sister on the next series of Glee. Or I could just play her if they ever bring out a version of Glee On Ice!” She wishes!

It looks like sparks may be set to fly between Made In Chelsea’s Agne Motiejunaite and newcomer Chloe Green in series two of the hit E4 show.
I caught up with the Lithuanian intern this week at the premiere of Glee 3D The Movie Concert and got her thoughts on the Topshop heiress making her TV debut: “I don’t know if it’s going to be a good thing or a bad thing and if it just means more drama. We will just have to wait and see. I don’t think it matters if she doesn’t give the cast any freebies because Topshop is not that expensive so there’s no need to beg her for things.”

Former Corrie actress Angela Griffin (above left) has stuck up for Michelle Collins and her northern accent in Coronation Street. Speaking at the premiere of The Smurfs 3D she told me: “I think Michelle Collins is brilliant and a fabulous actress. I’ve heard her northern accent and think it’s ace!” And the new star of Sky’s new comedy Mount Pleasant is up for returning to the famous cobbles. “I would never say no,” she said. “I’d never turn down a job because I’m self employed!”

Sad news for magazine boss Jefferson Hack and his top model girlfriend Anouck Lepere. The pair were engaged but I’m told the romance fizzled out. Randomly the model has since been seen in a clinch by my spies with Hollywood actor Jim Carrey in a bar in New York. Well I never….

Daybreak presenter Kate Garraway is feeling broody again! Kate tells me: “God I would love to have more kids! But I am 44 years old though and already have a healthy boy and girl so maybe that would be quite greedy. I’d definitely have more but I’m not sure whether my husband Derek would agree.” Good luck with that one!

David Hasselhoff’s daughters Taylor Ann and Hayley Amber (below) have joined forces as new pop duo Bella Vida and I think they have a hit on their hands with new dancefloor anthem Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The track is already a winner in the clubs and Scott Mills premiered the single on Radio One recently. The ladies perform at GAY next Saturday and the single’s out at the end of the month. Check out their flow.

Pineapple’s Louie Spence is back from filming his new show for Oprah Winfrey’s channel in New York and from the sounds of it he won’t be in a hurry to go back to the States. The anxiety ridden hypochondriac told me he’s only going to return to promote the show if it’s a huge hit and if he gets the chance to meet Oprah herself. “Dean, I just can’t,” he huffed at a drinks reception to sell his autobiography Still Got It, Never Lost It to book buyers this week. “I’ve been to the doctors three times this week because I thought I had heart palpitations. If I can meet Oprah and it does well then I’ll go. But I can’t really see middle America getting me and enjoying the show. Miami, New York, Florida and LA will adore me, obviously.” Indeed.
Lou Lou also told me the book, which I’ve had a sneaky peak of and can reveal is fabulously Louie, will give an insight into his time touring with Take That and the Spice Girls. “I can confirm David Beckham has a huge schlong,” Louie said. “I spoke to Victoria about it. None of those underwear shots are airbrushed to make him more endowed. He’s the real deal.” Fan yourself, peeps.