From BBC to the Back of the Net: Rory Cellan-Jones, Parkinson’s, and Walking Football

If Rory Cellan-Jones Can Do It, So Can You

📺 From BBC to the Back of the Net: Rory Cellan-Jones, Parkinson’s, and Walking Football

If Rory Cellan-Jones Can Do It, So Can You

When someone like Rory Cellan-Jones — the former BBC Technology Correspondent — laces up for walking football, it’s not just news, it’s inspiration. Diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s in 2019, Rory has become an advocate for using sport as part of Parkinson’s therapy. And the best part? He’s just like the rest of us: nervous first touches, surprise goals, and a grin a mile wide.

Walking football has been picking up headlines for years, but it’s even better when the people writing them decide to play themselves. That’s exactly what Rory Cellan-Jones did.

After being introduced to a local session through the Ealing Parkinson’s group, Rory admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect. His verdict? “A surprisingly tactical and skilful game.” He managed half an hour of a 60-minute session — and promised to come back.

Since then, he’s even bagged a goal. On Bluesky he proudly announced:

“I JUST SCORED MY FIRST GOAL AT WALKING FOOTBALL! Probably about 50 years after the last one…”

And that’s what makes his story so powerful. Living with Parkinson’s, Rory is open about the challenges — but he’s also showing how sport, movement, and community can be a real part of therapy. It’s about more than keeping fit; it’s about keeping connected, confident, and joyful.

He’s gone further too: on his podcast Movers and Shakers, Rory and his co-hosts explore life with Parkinson’s, and one of his first guests was Nick Taylor, captain of the England Parkinson’s Walking Football Team. Rory called him an inspiration, and rightly so. Together, they shine a light on the power of the game for people living with the condition.

And Rory isn’t alone. Sessions for people with Parkinson’s are starting to pop up all over the country. But the beauty of walking football is you don’t always need a dedicated “Parkinson’s session” — you’d be welcome at a lot of friendly mixed clubs.

From personal experience, I can name at least three: Watford, Bushey, and Lewes. All of them value inclusion, and all of them will give you the same thing Rory found — encouragement, laughs, and a proper game of football.

Now here’s the thing: Rory’s story isn’t unusual. We’ve got players at Lewes who hadn’t kicked a ball in decades, some who thought they’d never play again, and some who’d never played at all. And yet, just like Rory, they’ve discovered walking football is more than just a game. It’s confidence, laughter, friendship, the odd wonder goal - and it’s for everyone!

So if Rory can go from BBC studios to back of the net, while facing Parkinson’s with courage and humour, what’s stopping you?

They say the BBC is impartial, but Rory’s clearly biased… towards scoring goals now. 😏

Walking football is for the so-called “crumbly,” the cautious, the curious, and the competitive alike. It’s not about how fast you can run, it’s about how much fun you can have. Rory Cellan-Jones proves it: you’re never too late, and never too old, to join in.

💬 Your turn: Have you had that magical “first goal moment” in walking football? Or maybe you’ve been thinking about giving it a go? Share your stories — let’s celebrate every tap-in and toe-poke.

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