9th January 2025
I joined this fantastic company 2 years ago, working on their flagship Channel 4 programme, Chateau DIY, after producing Great Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo for Fremantle, and A Place in the Sun for Freeform. I have been incredibly fortunate to make my passion for TV into a career, but outside of work, my passion has always been football.
With both my parents fanatical Watford FC fans, my pathway into football was predetermined from the womb. I grew up playing as the only girl in my brother’s team, as my generation were the last victims of a lack of opportunity for women and girls.
Flashforward to 2022 and the historic victory of the Lionesses in the Euro Championship, and under a tidal wave of support and resurgence of interest in the women’s game I, together with friends, formed the new Edgware & Kingsbury Women’s Football Team and donned a pair of boots once more.
Our first season in the Greater London Women’s Football League, Division 2 North was nothing to write home about, and we failed to register a point! For the vast majority of the squad, this was our first ever experience of Sunday League and 11-a-side football- but despite registering an impressive (and possibly record) minus 115 goal difference, we were all delighted to just have the opportunity to play football, and went into our second season with a new manager and new-found optimism.
After a much more prolific second season, registering 5 wins and a 7th place finish- (a significant improvement on dead last in 10th!)- we were raring to go for 2024. However, our 2-year sponsorship deal that had funded our football kits and training pitch had come to an end, and with this now putting an increased financial strain on all of our players, the future of our football club was suddenly very uncertain.
But then Spark Media came to the rescue! After weekly chats with founders Mark and Steve about the status of our respective football teams, Watford, Bournemouth and West Ham, I thought- could they be interested in taking on a team of their own?! I simply asked the question, and much to my surprise and delight- they were very interested and have officially become our new sponsors, guaranteeing the survival of my football club for the next 2 years.
We now sport shiny new kits proudly displaying the Spark Media logo, and at the halfway point of the season, we have already registered 5 wins and reached the total number of points achieved last season. The future is bright!
I am still blown away by the incredible generosity and kindness of this company and their founders, Mark and Steve. Not only have they displayed ongoing support for my career on a professional level, but they have also shown a genuine interest and support for my endeavours on a personal level.
And hey- if Edgware & Kingsbury achieve 8 promotions, we’ll be in the Women’s Super League. Surely that’s a better story than Mr Ryan Reynolds?!
