Gk Barry Joins Nine New Stars for Soccer Aid 2026
gk barry is heading to Soccer Aid 2026 as one of nine new stars in the match at the London Stadium. The charity fixture marks its 20th anniversary and will kick off on Sunday, May 31, at 6.30pm British Summer Time.
GK Barry and Soccer Aid
Grace Eleanor Keeling is best known as GK Barry, the internet personality, presenter and TikTok star who rose to fame making videos while studying film studies at university. Her profile has since stretched beyond short-form clips, with her podcast Saving Grace drawing 1.5 million listeners and an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! adding another layer to her public life.
That route into Soccer Aid gives the event one of its most recognisable new names. ITV will air the match again in 2026, with the broadcast also on ITVX from the London Stadium.
Grace Eleanor Keeling's profile
Keeling has already spent years navigating attention that began online and moved into mainstream television. She said she was initially embarrassed when people from school and university knew about her content, and later reflected on how public judgment changes as an audience grows.
“It's ironic. When you're small, a lot of people will judge you for the content you are putting out. But as soon as you start getting bigger, all those people who judged you want to become your best friend.”
Her personal life has also drawn interest. Keeling is dating Ipswich Town footballer Ella Rutherford, who marked Grace's 25th birthday last year with a message on Instagram that read: “Happy Birthday babe. I love you more and more every day.”
Bonnie Blue backlash
The Soccer Aid move also lands after a rougher stretch in public debate. Keeling faced criticism in 2024 after interviewing Bonnie Blue on Saving Grace, where Bonnie discussed having sex with 158 people in two weeks and described heading to student areas in Australia and the UK while men queued for hours after she shared her location.
That episode pushed Keeling into a different kind of spotlight, one that followed her into the wider entertainment world rather than the creator space where she started. Now she steps into Soccer Aid's anniversary edition with a larger audience waiting, and a live Sunday night broadcast carrying her name alongside the game's other new arrivals.
