Ryan Reynolds has sparked laughter among fans with a joke about a couple relocating to Wrexham after watching his hit documentary series. The Deadpool star, 49, shared a post on X about Jeff and Janice Ivey, a couple from Texas who moved to the Welsh town inspired by the show. His caption read: 'Thank god they didn’t watch Chernobyl.'
Fans react to the joke
The 2019 miniseries Chernobyl, which dramatised the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine and won multiple Golden Globes, Emmys, and Bafta Awards, served as the punchline. Fans quickly praised Reynolds, with X user OgreBlackWhite dubbing it the 'tweet of the year'. Another user, Presznchampion, wrote: 'now THERE’S the comedian we know and love LMAOOO.' ReneMartinez90 joked: 'I believe that was their second choice ?.'
The post quickly racked up over 7,000,000 views and thousands of likes. Other fans shared how the show had also inspired them, though less literally. NewSchwander wrote: 'From Philadelphia area [and] we’re about to make our third trip over and are gonna look for a place.' Bobby enthusiastically commented: 'This may be one of the best posts in X history, I laughed so hard at this!' Even non-fans were won over, with RubyCFC98 admitting: 'Okay that’s actually funny.' RoyForTaoiseach added: 'Laughed at a Ryan Reynolds bit in 2026.'
The couple's move to Wrexham
Jeff, 62, and his wife Janice, 65, first visited Wrexham in 2024 after watching the series and ordering merchandise for the Wrexham band, The Declan Swans. After a mix-up with a hoodie order, the couple got in touch with the band, and singer Michael Hett suggested they visit. Jeff said: 'We just felt so good about the community aspect of Wrexham,' praising the 'welcoming and friendly' locals for their 'lack of elitism or snobbery'.
Jeff, who already had UK citizenship, suggested they move to the town after he retired. He explained: '[Wrexham] is a working-class town. It’s got a rich legacy in history. The people and the history definitely reminds us of places that we grew up.' The couple stayed for a month in April before deciding to relocate, adding that it doesn’t matter if Wrexham fail or succeed. 'That’s our club,' Jeff said, adding: 'We’re not coming for the club, that’s a plus, we’re coming for the community.'
Impact of the show
Welcome to Wrexham follows Reynolds and his friend Rob McElhenney, of Always Sunny fame, after they purchased Wrexham AFC. Premiering in August 2022, the documentary series has enjoyed five seasons with positive reviews, winning over locals and a global audience. The show has been a huge success in creating a global fanbase for the club and charting its restoration into a Championship side.
