Huge TV actress shocked to find her great-grandad put Wrexham on the map long before Ryan Reynolds
HOLLYWOOD A-lister Ryan Reynolds might think he’s put Wrexham on the footballing map, but it was Emily Atack’s great-grandfather who actually did that.
During her appearance on the new series of BBC ancestry show Who Do You Think You Are?, the Inbetweeners actress discovers her family were innovators of the beautiful game in Wales.
She learns Wrexham-born Edward Robbins was the scourge of the English Football League in the 1930s, clashing with them for refusing to free up their Welsh players so they could play for the national team.
It was only because of his campaigning in his role as Secretary of the Welsh Football Association that Welsh-born stars playing for clubs in England could finally represent their country, paving the way for the likes of future legends including Gareth Bale to become Welsh icons.
A source says: “Emily could not believe the link to Wrexham, particularly as the name is now so associated with Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who co-own the club.
“She is in no way sporty either, so to hear her family had this pedigree came as a big surprise.”
Edward Robbins had such legendary status within the game that he was dubbed the “dictator of Welsh football”.
Former Arsenal and England striker Cliff Bastin, a huge name in the 1930s, stated in his auto- biography that Robbins not only “inspired Welsh football — he was Welsh football.”
Emily is one of nine stars to delve into their ancestry in the upcoming series of the long-running show.
She’s joined by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, adventurer Bear Grylls, dancer Kevin Clifton, Dj Dev Griffin, kids’ TV doctor twins Chris and Xand Van Tulleken and actresses Claire Foy and Lesley Manville.
The latter two even find out their family histories would make top TV dramas.
The Crown star Claire discovers her family was caught up in a murder trial, while Mum favourite Lesley learns how an ancestor fighting for workers’ rights ended up paying a very heavy price.
But probably not as much as the £2million Ryan and Rob reportedly paid for Wrexham.
Alex’s 1D love hint
A FEW years back, Alex Scott hooked up with a mystery member of One Direction – and she is still being quizzed about it today.
Appearing on Mo Gilligan’s Lateish Show tonight, the host grills the former Arsenal star about her boyband lover, rumoured to be Harry Styles.
Asked if the rumours are true, Alex uses song titles to tease: “I do like a bit of Watermelon Sugar, a bit of Pillow Talk, and Slow Hands.”
When Mo presses her, she adds: “I’m not saying.”
But she later says: “Harry’s got it going on.”
Alex told in her auto- biography How (Not) To Be Strong, published last September, that the romance happened on 2019’s Strictly Come Dancing.
If she’s sensible, Alex will wait until the follow-up to finally spill.
The Lateish Show is back tonight at 10pm on Channel 4.
Kid you not
ITVX Kids has announced its summer line-up of new content, which includes fresh episodes of Lego Dreamzzz, Aussie drama The Gamers 2037 and animated comedy FriendZSpace.
Children’s faves Teletubbies and Bob The Builder will also be available soon on the streaming service.
Ramsey’s one love
COMICS Chris and Rosie Ramsey will soon be back on TV after their show jumped from BBC Two to BBC One.
Speaking to The Sun’s TV Mag – free inside tomorrow’s paper – the couple say they cannot believe their podcast, Sh**ged Married Annoyed, has led to them becoming telly stars.
Chris said: “It’s mad. We just said before this, ‘If we came up with the podcast and said, right, this is the plan – podcast, then arenas then a BBC show – someone would say, ‘Who the hell do you think you are?’ ”
But they still have a big ambition left – and they could probably achieve it given their huge fanbase.
Rosie said: “I’d love to have a No1 single.”
The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show returns next Friday at 10.40pm.
Dancers tour de force
THE Strictly dancers are shaping up nicely on their summer tour.
Finalists Gorka Marquez, Vito Coppola, Jowita Przystal and Carlos Gu will bring the magic of ballroom to a venue near you this month.
They’re joined by six more show favourites including Nikita Kuzmin, Nancy Xu and Dianne Buswell for the 35-date tour, which began on Tuesday in Hull.
Reigning champ Jowita, who won with Hamza Yassin in 2022, posted: “Good to be back on stage. Dreams do come true.”
For tickets, check out strictlytheprofessionals.com.