It’s been said that all publicity is good publicity – but that’s probably not the case for one particular sportsman who hit the news this week.

Gavin Henson was sacked by his rugby club Cardiff Blues on Monday following his behaviour on a flight on the preceding weekend. Henson had been drinking on the Flybe flight at 7am on Saturday morning, and according to BBC Wales he threw ice cubes around the cabin and the cabin crew refused to serve him.

A spokesperson for the airline said; “The safety of our passengers and staff is Flybe’s number one priority and as such the airline has a zero tolerance attitude to unruly behaviour on board our aircraft … we have written to him, informing him that he will be banned from Flybe services for a period of six months.”

A number of factors probably didn’t help Henson’s dismissal from his club; firstly the two-time Welsh grand slam winner has not had the best season – failing to score in his last eight matches. Secondly, perhaps because of his failed engagement to Charlotte Church he’s considered more newsworthy than many of his contemporaries. Thirdly, this is by no means the first time Henson’s rowdy behaviour off the pitch has hit the headlines.

Former Welsh player and now commentator Jonathan Davies told the BBC: “Cardiff Blues gave him an opportunity and he’s kind of messed it up again … As the club have said, they have got a responsibility to their supporters and in this professional age, the sponsors.”

Now 30 years old, Henson may have lost the opportunity to make a comeback with the major ruby clubs. When you consider his history, he surely must have realised that his behaviour was under scrutiny – not least from the media – and it can only be imagined that he regrets not acting accordingly.

Find out more about the incident in Leon Walker’s Game Theory column.

Will Edwards is managing director of media training consultancy
Bluewood Training