BBC star explains exclusion struggle amid friendship with Emmerdale icon
She's one of the breakout stars of CBeebies' Football Fantastics and nurtures a friendship with an Emmerdale legend, but Charlotte Lynch admits she's sometimes felt "excluded" during her journey to the limelight.
England Lionesses Jill Scott, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Ollie Watkins are all suiting up for the new BBC series Football Fantastics .
Behind the big names is former Millwall and Leyton Orient player Charlotte Lynch – a talent who's been quietly going from strength to strength.
Charlotte uses her voice to make football feel accessible to everyone, and shares joyful messages filled with hope on Instagram. 'I couldn't find a team growing up so I felt excluded," she says. "When my brother played for a boys' team, my mum asked the coach if I could join.
'Eventually, I played for the boys but I was the only girl. You get side-eyed and whispers. But, if it's something you're passionate about, you really have to push through.'
Luckily, things have changed. 'I want people to know they are welcome,' she says. 'You don't have to play at an elite level but you can get involved. I'm not better than anyone. I'm a footballer and you can be one, too, if you want to!'
Her advice? 'Take a risk on the things you're passionate about – you never know where it could take you." Now, she's bagged her first major role on the small screen, and it feels like everything is falling into place.
The new children's comedy show kicks off the BBC's Summer of Sport and the Women's Euros. Set in Ripon, North Yorkshire, the show follows a group of lovable children who meet every weekend for their local football group, where friendships are made and epic adventures unfold.
With cameos from household names, catchy songs and big laughs, it was a no-brainer for Charlotte. 'I received the email from the casting team and instantly felt a connection,' Charlotte says. 'I really wanted this job. It's so wholesome, which I love. Everyone can watch it.'
On the pitch, she's a versatile defender – and off it, a qualified teacher with a sharp mind for sports science and biomechanics. 'I've been coaching since I graduated from university,' she says. Charlotte has even founded her own girls' football teams in schools, so when the audition came around, she gave it everything.
'I wore all my football gear, I had my equipment, I had cones, and I just put everything into this audition to give me the best chance of getting the job,' she recalls. 'This felt like a perfect fit.'
In Football Fantastics, Charlotte plays coach Georgie, a footie fanatic. 'She's reliable, honest. Nothing is ever too much or a problem. She has all the patience in the world and a genuine love for children,' Charlotte says. But there's more to the character than warmth and encouragement.
She adds, 'I show a few skills. There's some comedy, a little bit of sarcasm and life lessons.' Filming in Ripon was mostly smooth sailing, although living in a hotel room for two months and facing early mornings wasn't her cup of tea.
'I'm not a morning person,' she confesses. 'But it didn't feel like it was hard because I was so in love with what I was doing. We were all well taken care of and there were footballs on set, so I felt very comfortable.'
She also bonded with some well-known faces, including Eva Fontaine and Emmerdale star Samantha Giles. 'I was able to ask them how they prepared. There was a family vibe to the show, it felt very warm and welcoming,' says Charlotte.
'Samantha was my next door neighbour in the trailers. We'd meet at the snack table and chat. She was so easy to speak to and I absorbed everything.'
But don't be fooled – acting isn't new to Charlotte. Her love for performing was nurtured by her mum, who was also her school head teacher.
'She was passionate about bringing out your talents and abilities,' Charlotte says. She took part in school plays and later appeared in Remi R.M. Moses' short film Saving Art (2023) as a nurse.
'I did commercials and body doubling, so I was quite familiar with what a set looks like, but acting on TV is a longer-term thing, and these amazing actors helped me.'
She has other talents, too, as Charlotte is also a singer, performing in her church choir, at her brother's wedding – and even releasing tracks on Spotify.
'I took a break after moving on to football but I'm going to go back to the studio,' she says. However, football remains top of her list. 'I'm going to play until I'm 100,' she says. 'You can play at any age – you just need a team that suits your needs.'
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