Thom Evans, who is engaged to Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, was forced to retire from rugby at the age of 24 after suffering a life-threatening injury

The couple plan to get married once Scherzinger’s hectic schedule will allow it(Image: Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Former Scotland rugby international Thom Evans is set to wed Pussycat Dolls vocalist Nicole Scherzinger. The ex-Glasgow Warriors winger proposed back in 2023, though the couple are yet to walk down the aisle.

Scherzinger spent a hectic summer performing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ on Broadway and revealed to American radio when the duo anticipate exchanging vows. “Yes, we will get married. We’re engaged to be married when I’m not working. Thank God he is so patient,” she said.

The former London Wasps player proposed whilst the couple were holidaying in Portugal, with Scherzinger clearly delighted as Evans dropped to one knee in snaps shared on social media. The two first crossed paths on Celebrity X-Factor in 2019 and confirmed their relationship in January 2020

Evans has been remarkably supportive of his fiancée’s professional endeavours, with an Instagram post following a 2023 performance exemplifying this. “Just wow!” wrote Evans.

“I saw @sunsetblvdmusical last night and I was completely blown away.”

“@nicolescherzinger your performance was truly MESMERISING and the rest of the cast are so TALENTED! I’ve never seen anything like it before and if you haven’t yet booked tickets then you absolutely need to!”

Thom Evans and Nicole Scherzinger have known each other for six years(Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)

Before Evans, Scherzinger was romantically involved with Formula One icon Lewis Hamilton. The couple maintained an on-off relationship spanning eight years from 2007 to 2015 before parting ways.

Hamilton subsequently attributed demanding schedules as a primary factor behind their split. During his playing career, Evans represented Scotland, Wasps and Warriors.

He had been at the latter for four years when a devastating neck injury against Wales in the Six Nations brought his time on the pitch to an abrupt end.

The Scotsman reported that following surgery, doctors revealed he had come within just one millimetre of paralysis or death.

In an interview with Men’s Health last year, he explained: “I sustained a double fracture-dislocation to the C5 and C7 regions of my spine in 2010.

“I was playing for Scotland against Wales in the Six Nations and I was really fortunate because an injury of that magnitude, suffered on such a big stage, meant I had the very best personnel there to deal with it.”

Reflecting on his forced retirement, he said: “At the time, I was just so grateful not to be in a wheelchair,” before adding: “But a year or so after the injury, it really hit me that I was never going to play the game again – a game that I so dearly loved, and a game I’d worked my whole life for. I did struggle for a long time.

“I was only 24 at the time of my injury and I’d just broken into the Scotland national team. I think I would have comfortably had that jersey for at least another 10 years,” he went on. “I just tried my best to remain focused on how incredibly lucky I was to even be walking and moving in a ‘normal’ capacity. That’s what helped me through the dark times.”

After this significant career shift, he started working as a broadcaster for ITV’s rugby coverage and later appeared in popular shows ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls’.

In 2019, he formed a singing trio with fellow ex-rugby stars Levi Davies and Ben Foden on Celebrity X-Factor, where he crossed paths with Scherzinger.