Ryan Reynolds flew singer Charlotte Church and her three children to New York for a surprise appearance in the Welcome to Wrexham documentary, despite the pair having never met before. Church, who is currently a contestant on BBC's Celebrity Traitors, featured in the first season of the Disney+ series, which charts Wrexham AFC's journey under Hollywood ownership.
In the episode, which highlighted Welsh culture and history, Church performed renditions of 'Men of Harlech' and the Welsh national anthem 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'. Speaking on the Dish podcast, she revealed that Reynolds arranged the flights after her children insisted on meeting the Deadpool actor. 'The kids were like, 'it's Ryan Reynolds, we have to go,'' she said.
Church praised Reynolds and co-owner Rob McElhenney for their genuine care and integrity in transforming Wrexham's fortunes. 'I think what they're doing for Wales - in terms of Wrexham and stuff - it's really genuine,' she said, adding that the portrayal of Wales has often been negative but the documentary feels uplifting.
Welcome to Wrexham recently concluded its fourth series and has won several Creative Arts Emmy awards. The show has sparked a tourism boom in Wrexham, with fans travelling from as far as Brazil to watch matches at the Racecourse Ground. A spin-off series focusing on Mexican club Club Necaxa, which Reynolds, McElhenney and Eva Longoria have invested in, launched in August.
The documentary has been renewed for a fifth season, and other clubs have followed Wrexham's lead, including Birmingham City, part-owned by NFL legend Tom Brady, whose series Built in Birmingham: Brady & The Blues was released in August on Prime Video.
