Farmer shares heart surgery story after Britain’s Got Talent success

A Welsh farmer who went from being told he might not survive a heart attack to standing on stage as a Britain’s Got Talent winner is now sharing his story to encourage others to take their heart health seriously.

Hugh Thomas, 75, shared his experience on how cardiovascular disease has impacted his life, but also shared a message of hope to those undergoing major heart surgery that there is plenty of life to be lived.

On one of British Heart Foundation’s red benches at his farm in Moylegrove, on the Ceredigion-Pembrokeshire border, Hugh explained that his journey began with what seemed like mild symptoms.

“I was getting short of breath,” he said. “We all assumed it was because I’d had COVID. I was thinking that it was just me getting old. Being a farmer I thought no more of it, but my wife persuaded me to go and see a doctor.”

After being referred for tests and an angiogram, Hugh was given unexpected news when doctors were recommending a triple heart bypass surgery. “That hit me like a brick wall, because I didn’t feel ill,” he recalled.

Doctors were surprised that Hugh had been able to walk into the hospital, and he was warned his condition was far more serious than he realised. He had even been using a chainsaw on his farm the day before his hospital appointment.

In March 2022, a few weeks after the appointment, Hugh underwent triple bypass surgery at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

“To go from nothing to six days in intensive care is a bit of a shock,” he said, of his first ever experience of being admitted to hospital.

“A few days after surgery, they asked me to get out of bed and walk – the first few steps were pure agony.”

For his wife Rachel, the experience was equally overwhelming, particularly as the hospital was 70 miles from home and she couldn’t be by his side.

Rachel said: “When somebody tells you really bad news like this, you think, ‘oh my God, the end of the world is now.’”

After a week in hospital, Hugh was discharged, leaving Rachel to support his recovery at home while also keeping the farm running.

After his triple heart bypass, Hugh became a member of the Hawkestone Farmers Choir, which helped transform his journey to recovery as he regained his strength.

The opportunity snowballed into appearances on Britain’s Got Talent. For Hugh, the experience was not only about music, but about rebuilding confidence and finding a new outlook after major surgery.

“It’s been a tremendous inspiration to be involved with this group of people,” he said. “We’ve all got issues in one shape or form, and when you can talk about it, it uplifts you.”

Now back working on the farm, albeit at a slightly slower pace, Hugh is using his story to raise awareness of heart health, particularly within rural communities.

“Farmers tend to have a stiff upper lip and won’t go to the doctor,” he said. “But if you’ve got a problem, get it seen to before it becomes too big.”

Red benches 

Hugh has shared his story as part of a British Heart Foundation campaign marking the charity’s 65th anniversary.

Sixty-five red benches have been unveiled across the UK in tribute to people living with cardiovascular disease and to give survivors a space to share their experiences.

Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease, and more than 400,000 people in Wales are living with heart and circulatory conditions.

Rhodri Thomas, Head of BHF Cymru, said: “Hugh’s story shows both that cardiovascular disease can affect anyone, regardless of their background, and that you can go on to do amazing things after heart surgery. We are hugely grateful to Hugh for speaking so openly about experiences that will resonate with people and communities across Wales.

“Despite being one of Wales’ biggest killers, cardiovascular disease is still misunderstood or not taken seriously. By sharing real stories on our iconic red benches, we want to start conversations, challenge dangerous misconceptions and encourage people to take their heart health seriously.

“Research will help us save and improve more lives, but we can only fund the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow thanks to the public’s generous donations.”

To find out more about the campaign and donate to the British Heart Foundation, visit their site here.

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