Why Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney don’t dominate 'Welcome to Wrexham' - Hollywood superstar explains global success of award-winning documentary

Once plans to enter into a surprising sporting venture were drawn up, two rookie chairmen decided that they would bring cameras along for the ride. Rather than steer clear of the spotlight, every effort was made to embrace it.

Plenty of drama has been delivered for an award-winning production, which will be back for 2025, with Reynolds and McElhenney overseeing a meteoric rise that has the Red Dragons chasing down a third successive promotion and a place in the Championship.

Two famous faces do figure prominently in ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, as they drive that show, but they are happy for others to take centre stage - whether that be players, coaches or members of the local community.

Reynolds said at the TIME100 Summit of why that formula works: “With Wrexham, there's a docuseries because it resonates for people and there's a Wrexham in every country. There's a Wrexham in almost every state in the union, and even the state up north, Canada.

“I love stories that connect with people on that level. Rob comes from a working class family and I come from a working class family. You understand that when industry dies or leaves in that post-Thatcherism era, it creates a real depression.

“Why it works so well is because the football club and the community, they're one. It's the third oldest football club on earth, it plays in the oldest international stadium and it's like a church. There's hundreds, maybe thousands of people's ashes scattered on the pitch.

“I treat it like a church, and I respect it. We really aren’t pulling them into our story - we just wanted to be a part of theirs. That’s why, if you watch the show, we're only there if we need to explain something.”

‘Welcome to Wrexham’ will return for a fourth series on May 15. By that point, the Red Dragons will hope to be in a position where they are planning for life in the second tier of English football - with Reynolds and McElhenney making more funds available in the summer transfer market.