Bradford boy Daya Singh Athwal kicks off new BBC series
A local young actor is set to feature in a new BBC CBeebies series, ‘Football Fantastics’, which starts this Saturday.
Daya Singh Athwal, 12, from Bradford is one of the rising young talents at the leading drama school and acting agency, Articulate Agency.
Based in Baildon, the agency has nurtured young actors and secured life-changing opportunities in the TV and film industry.
Daya has taken part in weekly drama classes in West Yorkshire at the Articulate Drama School from a young age.
To date, Articulate has secured a number of parts for Daya including appearances in the ‘Secret Lives of 5 Year Olds’, two roles in TV commercials, and roles in the short films, ‘Raj’s Story’ and ‘The Boat Story.’
The new series ‘Football Fantastics’ comes to CBeebies and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 5 July 2025, kicking off in line with BBC’s Summer of Sport and the Women’s Euros.
Daya said: “Being part of the ‘Football Fantastics’ was amazing- I got to do two of my favourite things at once; play football and act! I had so much fun and learned a lot too! My weekly drama classes with Articulate and LAMDA lessons really helped me to feel confident on set and bring my character to life.”
The live-action scripted series is a high-energy, feel-good comedy that celebrates friendship, fun, and the beautiful game.
Set in Yorkshire, the show follows six wildly lovable kids who come together every weekend for their local football group – where friendships are forged, and epic adventures unfold both on and off the pitch.
The series features cameos from some of England’s Lionesses including Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, Fran Kirby and BBC Sports Personality of the Year Beth Mead, a cameo from England’s Olly Watkins and former Millwall and Leyton Orient player Charlotte Lynch in her acting debut – plus a very special regular guest star – national treasure Jill Scott.
Jill Scott says: “It was a pleasure to be involved in such an exciting, funny and important show. The kids are so talented and inspiring for anyone involved in the game at any level, especially with a female coach!”
Creator of ‘Football Fantastics’ Sam Talbot says, “With ‘Football Fantastics’, we wanted to capture the sheer joy of the game – the laughter, the friendships, the unforgettable moments that happen both on and off the pitch in kids football clubs for both them and their parents. It’s a love letter to grassroots football and the amazing kids who turn up each week just for the fun of it. We’re thrilled to have legends like Jill Scott and the Lionesses bring their magic to the show. It’s all about inspiring the next generation while having a blast along the way.”
