Rio Ferdinand is reportedly working on a documentary series about race, mental health and sexuality in football.

Rio Ferdinand is working on a new project

Rio Ferdinand is working on a new project

The former Manchester United and England star - who now works for BT Sport as a pundit - is said to be working on the new project for Amazon, while the three programmes could be released later in 2022.

As reported by The Sun newspaper's TV Biz column, Rio will interview a number of high profile figures in football for the three documentaries.

A source said: "This is quite a prestige project for Rio and he has spent the best part of a year working with the documentary makers to produce some in-depth television.

"Rio obviously has experience of race within football, but the other two areas he has less experience of.

"But they're both areas he really wants to understand through making these shows."

Circle Circle Films are behind the programmes, having previously worked on Amazon's 'Rooney' documentary about Rio's former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney.

Meanwhile, the 42-year-old star is no stranger to working on TV projects like this, having previously fronted a string of programmes for the BBC.

In 2017, he helmed 'Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum And Dad', which was focused on him adjusting after his wife Rebecca died from breast cancer in 2015.

He also worked on 2020's 'Rio And Kate: Becoming A Stepfamily', looking at how he and his children adapted to a major change in their lives when he married second wife Kate.

Rio and Kate welcomed son Cree into the world in December 2020 and the former footballer - who also has Lorenz, 15, Tate, 13, and Tia, 10, with late wife Rebecca - previously admitted he's thankful coronavirus restrictions meant he wasn't out of the house as much as he usually is so has been around the tot all the time.

He said: "He's great. We're all delighted and happy. Having a lockdown baby means that you're there a lot more as a parent. You can't go out and work as you would do before, which has been great. He's been a great addition to our family."


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