EXCLUSIVE: Gay soccer player and activist Josh Cavallo is consulting on UK short-form web series Armour about the consequences of coming out for a Premier League footballer.
To be shot in Yorkshire and Hampshire, the series from DeCantillon Films will star Jordan Luke Gage (Royal Kill List) and BIFA nominee Alexandra Burke (Curfew).
Told across 10 x 10-minute episodes, the series will follow fictional Premier League club Fountains Athletic F.C. and their rising star Harry Slade (Gage), an England international whose world is turned upside down after a risky hook-up with another man leads to his sexts falling into the hands of a tabloid. He must make a decision: risk being outed by the press, or control the narrative and tell the world on his own terms.
Since its inception 33 years ago, the Premier League has seen more than 5,000 players. Justin Fashanu is one of the only players to come out as gay in that time. The footballer did so in an interview with The Sun after learning a newspaper planned to expose him. Coming out led to significant backlash, including intense homophobic abuse and damage to his career, and he died by suicide in 1998.
Alongside Gage and Burke, the regular cast of the web series will include Aedan Duckworth (Hollyoaks), Kate James (Past Life), Alex Britt (Black Mirror) and Will FitzGerald (Upon the Edge). Filming is due to begin in spring 2026.
Show creator is Tim Reynard, who is currently studying at the National Film and Television School. The show is inspired by Reynard’s own experiences growing up as a closeted gay man with an obsession for football. Backing comes from private investors, brand product placement sponsorship, and contributions from non-profits.
Casting is by Sophie Pearson, whose credits include season three of Netflix’s Top Boy and Taika Waititi’s feature JoJo Rabbit. The writing team includes Hannah Kumari, who co-developed the character of Lorna, who becomes the first Black female manager of a men’s club, portrayed by Alexandra Burke.
Tim Reynard said: “As a Yorkshireman, football has always been in my blood. Growing up as a closeted gay man with an obsession for the game, I rarely saw myself reflected in it. With Armour, we want to tell a story that’s raw, authentic and filled with hope – not just for the queer fans craving an idol, but the young players coming up the ranks who need a role model”
Australian Josh Cavallo, who made global headlines as the first top-flight male player to ‘come out’ while still playing professionally, commented: “Coming out as a footballer showed me how powerful visibility can be, but it also reminded me how far we still have to go. I’m thrilled to be consulting on the production of Armour, helping to make sure the story feels as real and grounded as possible – both in the script and with the actors”.
He added: “With a gay showrunner leading the project, there’s a real authenticity driving it, and the fact it will be free to watch on YouTube makes it accessible to young players everywhere. There are so few role models and authentic stories to look to, and this project has the potential to change that. It feels like the right time, and the right way, to bring a story of hope and authenticity to football.”
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