Birthdays and broken lamps – at home with the Charles brothers

Northern Ireland footballers Pierce and Shea Charles have invited viewers into their west London home, sharing family stories and the everyday routines behind their careers. Their reunion as housemates comes as both enjoy strong spells: Pierce is on loan at QPR from Manchester City, while Shea has returned to the Premier League with Fulham.

The brothers, who grew up in Manchester and came through City’s academy, have lived together three times, including at Sheffield Wednesday during Shea’s loan in 2024-25. Shea joined Fulham from Southampton in August for £30m, becoming Northern Ireland’s first £30m footballer; Pierce returned to City on a long-term deal before moving to QPR on loan. At home, they compete over games, cooking and chores, and recall childhood football matches that sometimes ended with broken lamps.