Inside the Game: Essex Club Owner Spills All in New Football Docuseries

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, a well-known entrepreneur from Essex, is now the owner of Maldon and Tiptree FC, a non-league football club. He is the main focus of a new six-part documentary series that will air on ITV. The cameras follow Barrie as he manages the club, showing his daily decisions and the challenges he faces. Barrie and his husband Scott Hutchinson bought the club in February 2025, even though Barrie admits he does not know much about football. He says the documentary does not hide anything. Viewers will see the pressure, the tough choices, and the ambition it takes to try to improve a football club.

The documentary is similar to the popular series Welcome to Wrexham, which followed Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they took over Wrexham AFC in Wales. That show became famous for showing how the actors helped the club move up in the football world. Barrie says his show is different because it is more focused on reality. He believes that even people who are not football fans will enjoy watching, because the show is about real life, not just the sport. He wants viewers to see the ups and downs of running a football club, and how it affects everyone involved.

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow is no stranger to the spotlight. He and his former husband Tony became famous in 1999 as one of the first gay couples in the UK to have children through a surrogate. Since then, Barrie has built a successful business career in medical research, cosmetics, and property. He has also appeared in several reality TV shows. Now, with his husband Scott, Barrie is working hard to make Maldon and Tiptree FC more successful. The club, known as the Jammers, was a small team before Barrie took over. Now, they are at the top of their league. Barrie is grateful for the support from the local community and fans, who come to watch the games every week, no matter the weather. The documentary, made by an independent company, will be shown on ITV4 and ITVX in April. ITV Sport says they are excited to share the story with a wide audience. If you have a story about Essex, you can contact the news team.