Spotlight on Emotional Eating #6: Nigel Owens

Bulimia, Masculinity, and the Myth of “Toughing It Out”

Nigel Owens—one of rugby’s most respected referees and the man in charge of the 2015 Rugby World Cup final—has spoken with unusual candour about a decades-long struggle with bulimia. His story punctures the stereotype that eating disorders are “a women’s issue,” and shows how identity stressors, performance pressure, and secrecy can entrench disordered eating in men.

The pressure cooker

Owens has described the early mix that set the stage: trying to accept his sexuality in a hyper-masculine sport, while chasing elite fitness standards. In a 2017 Desert Island Discs interview, he revealed that self-rejection and the pressure to perform helped drive him toward bulimia and, at times, steroid misuse; he also spoke openly about a suicide attempt before coming out in 2007.

“I made myself sick pretty much every day”

Owens has said bulimia took hold in his late teens, with daily purging over two to three years. He kept it hidden—slipping away after meals, inventing cover stories, and, when needed, heading outdoors to purge to avoid suspicion. He’s also said symptoms resurfaced years later, triggered by the pressure of passing fitness tests as he got older.

Still a battle—decades on

He has stressed that recovery wasn’t a neat line. In 2017, he told reporters he’d been living with bulimia for nearly 30 years and still had to manage it actively—an important counter to “I beat it and it’s gone” narratives. He has consistently framed seeking help as strength, not weakness.

From secrecy to advocacy

Owens didn’t stop at disclosure. He fronted the BBC Wales documentary Nigel Owens: Bulimia and Me (also promoted as Men, Boys & Eating Disorders in broader coverage), visiting men and families across Wales and interviewing clinical experts about male presentations and barriers to help-seeking. Bringing male EDs onto prime-time television shifted the conversation—especially in sport.

What Nigel’s story teaches clinicians and coaches

1) Men get eating disorders—often invisibly.
No dramatic weight change? Doesn’t matter. Owens functioned at the top of world rugby while purging in secret. Screen regardless of BMI or body type – ask behaviour-focused questions (“Do you ever eat for emotional reasons? Would you ever call it bingeing? Do you ever feel compelled to get rid of food after eating?”) rather than weight-based ones.

2) Identity stress is a clinical risk factor.
Shame around sexuality, fear of career fallout, and “macho” norms amplified secrecy. Expect higher stigma in male clients and in male-dominated environments and normalise help-seeking explicitly.

3) Performance cultures can trigger relapse.
Owens described symptoms reigniting around fitness tests. For athletes and high-pressure professions, build relapse-prevention plans around weigh-ins, testing blocks, competitions, and job fitness thresholds.

4) Recovery is non-linear, and disclosure helps.
Owens frames ongoing management as success. Set expectations accordingly – lapses are data, not failure. Encourage strategic disclosure to reduce secrecy (trusted colleague, coach, or clinician).

5) Language matters.
Owens’ public messaging “seeking help is a sign of strength” is the reframe many men need to hear. Mirror that in your clinical materials and outreach.

I hope you have enjoyed this Spotlight series and gained good insight into the complexities of both disordered eating, and the use of weight loss medications like Ozempic.

If you are interested in learning more or specialising in any of these areas, we can help. All of our trainings are approved for continuing education credits and will give you the skills and confidence you need to help any client or patient who is struggling.

Feel free to email me with any feedback or questions, I’m always happy to hear from you.

Warmest wishes,

Emma

Sources

Nigel Owens on Desert Island Discs.

Interview for the42.ie ahead of his BBC documentary on male eating disorders.

BBC Wales documentary Nigel Owens: Bulimia and Me