BBC presenter Gethin Jones has hinted he could be tempted to reprise his role as Wales' Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission after admitting his time with Team Wales was a "once in a lifetime experience".
Jones took to Instagram to reflect on an extraordinary few weeks after leading the Welsh delegation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. The 48-year-old, best known as the presenter of BBC's Morning Live, was handed the prestigious role of Chef de Mission and threw himself into the job, dedicating himself to the Welsh athletes before, during and after the Games.
Now, as he finally begins to reflect on the experience, Jones has dropped a small but intriguing clue about his future. Describing the role as "a once in a lifetime experience", he added: "(well, maybe!)" The comment could hint at a desire to reprise the role when the Commonwealth Games next comes around, although there is no suggestion at this stage that Jones has been confirmed for any future Games.
Reflecting on a 'big breath'
Jones began his latest Instagram post by admitting he had needed to take "a big breath" before attempting to sum up the experience. "I have taken a big breath and I still don't know what pics to post or how to sum it all up!" he wrote. "Commonwealth Games put together in 18 months with care, purpose and ambition. Some incredible highs, and of course the lows that come with top level sport. We all live, love and feel all the moments!"
Jones also offered an insight into the intensity of his role, revealing the long days and late-night meetings that came with being part of the senior leadership team. "I've learned over the years that you can have a laugh and take your job seriously. In fact, when doing something as intense as this, I think it's essential!" he said. "I was part of a solution focussed Senior Leadership Team that had the interest of the athletes at the forefront of their thinking. Big, important, sensitive decisions being made throughout the day everyday. We did not go to bed the same day we got up. The 11.30pm 'end of day debrief' were integral to the plan. We would always finish the meeting on a high with a laugh."
Gratitude and tribute
Jones was particularly keen to pay tribute to the people around him, thanking Rebecca Symons and the board for trusting him with the position. He wrote: "I am grateful to the brilliant @becsym and the board for trusting me in this role! A once in a lifetime experience (well, maybe!), and an honour to stand beside the most honest, determined and passionate people… our athletes!" He finished his post with a message to the Welsh team: "Da iawn @team_wales!"
Jones' reflections come after he previously admitted that he needed time to process the experience following the Games. He had described the fortnight as "really special" and explained just how deeply invested he had become in the athletes after spending two years getting to know them and following their journeys. "I spent the last two years investing so much time and effort into getting to know these athletes," he told BBC Radio Wales. "I set up a separate social media account and followed 115 and more before selection [to follow] their day-to-day lives and see the sacrifices, determination, the setbacks, the comebacks. When I was watching them this week, I was really feeling it. I was feeling every punch, every stroke in the pool, whatever it might be, because I knew what they'd done to get there."
Emotional rollercoaster of elite sport
Jones also spoke about the emotional rollercoaster of elite sport and the importance of supporting athletes through disappointment as well as celebrating their successes. "Elite sport is so marginal, it could go in so many different ways, good and bad," he said. "There's more failure than success too, and it's about being there for a disappointment as much as celebrating the highs of the success too. It's phenomenal."
