28 January 2012 Last updated at 05:20 ET

Celebrity Big Brother: Bookies' favourite Gareth Thomas comes third

Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas proved a popular housemate

The former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has come third in the reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.

The 37-year-old sportsman, nicknamed Alfie, was originally the bookies' favourite to take the title.

But he failed to win despite having a huge following on Twitter and being popular with his fellow housemates.

Actress and Loose Women presenter, Denise Welch won, while former X Factor contestant Frankie Cocozza came second. Actor Michael Madsen came fourth.

Playboy models Karissa and Kristina Shannon were the first housemates to be evicted in Friday night's final.

Thomas came out as gay in 2009, becoming one of a just a handful of professional sportspeople to do so.

Throughout his time on the show he has been praised as an excellent role model by Stonewall Cymru.

Thomas won 100 caps for Wales during his union career.

He switched codes from rugby union to Wrexham-based Super League club Crusaders nearly three years ago.

Ryan Giggs

He retired four days before he was due to play for the Wales rugby league team against England in the Four Nations in October.

He has also played for Bridgend and Cardiff Blues and spent three years in France with Toulouse, where he won the 2005 Heineken Cup.

Natasha Giggs, the sister-in-law of Manchester United's former Wales international Ryan Giggs, had also taken part in Celebrity Big Brother.

Mrs Giggs married the footballer's brother Rhodri in Las Vegas in 2010.