Video: Football protege Maddy is a TV star with the world at her feet

A gifted young footballer is set to become a TV star after her incredible skills won her a role in a high profile advertising campaign.
Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.
Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.

Producers offered Maddy Duffy a part in the latest Robinson's Fruit Shoot *It's My Thing" television advert after seeing brief footage of her playing the game she is passionate about.

Maddy (11) of Barrowford, beat off competition from 100 other girls who had auditioned for the role, and she did not even have to attend a casting!

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Her thrilled mum, Rebecca, said: "By the time we heard about the casting for the ad all the parts had already been chosen but we were told to send a video of Maddy playing football just in case.

Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.
Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.

"We were then contacted to say they were so impressed with Maddy they wanted her to appear in the ad.

"All the other children had to attend a casting but they chose Maddy without even seeing her, we were absolutely thrilled."

Maddy and her mum went down to London for the three day shoot which features a host of children playing sport, musical instruments and having fun.

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Maddy is the footballer and she was filmed at a series of locations working her magic with a football. She features heavily in the advert several times displaying her various skills with the ball, including balancing it on her head.

Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.
Maddy Duffy's footballing skills have won her a role in a TV advert.

Rebecca said: "In between takes Maddy was playing football with the crew, she is that keen on the game.

"It was a really good experience for her."

The advert was shown in the UK and Ireland for the first time last week and it will also be aired in France in the summer.

A pupil at Sacred Heart School in Colne, Maddy's talent was spotted at the age of five when she started playing at Burnley's FUNDA academy.

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Coach and owner Kieran Fletcher said she was good enough to trial for a club so Maddy started playing for Pendle Forest with a boys team and she loved it. At the same time she played for Burnley Girls under 9's.

Maddy's dream to play for Liverpool, her favourite team, came true when she was just eight and she went for a trial at the club's girls' academy with a view to joining the under 9's team.

Rebecca said: "We didn't have any hopes of her getting in so when she rang me to say she had done the trial but not been called back for another try I told her not to be too upset as she could always have another try later.

"So when she said hadn't been called back because they had offered her a place on the spot I was screaming my head off with joy even though I was in the middle of the supermarket at the time!"

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Maddy attends training three times a week in Liverpool and her weekends are taken up playing in matches.

She has just signed another two year contract with the club to play with the under 12's and she is cherishing her dream to eventually play for her other favourite club, Barcelona.

Rebecca (46) who works as an accounts supervisor for a textile company in Chorley said: "It is hard work but worth it for Maddy because she loves the game so much and she is doing so well."

Maddy could have inherited her footballing talent from her machine technician dad, Brendan (46) who played for Barrowford Celtic as a boy and had trials for Bury at the age of 16.

Maddy has an older sister, Georgia, (15) who is also sporty and is an advanced scuba diver.

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