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show Billionaire Babies, which shines a light on her extravagant life on and off the pitch?
“We lead a glamorous lifestyle,” Carolyn reveals. “My boys want for nothing. And we go all out at Christmas.
“But we work really hard for it. The fans see that.”
Magical
Carolyn and David Radford’s lavish Nottinghamshire mansion has been decked out in Christmas decorations costing £60,000, all thanks to professional festive decorators for the super-rich Christmas Inc, which transformed her home into a magical winter wonderland for the show. There’s 12-foot giant nutcracker soldiers guarding the doors and 240 metres of festive ribbon, more than 1,000 baubles and 50,000 fairy lights.
Even her boys’ bedrooms have been turned into Santa’s grottos.
But while her 10-bedroom mansion, complete with swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym is every inch what you would expect, the helipad is now going unused after Leicester City’s owners lost their lives in a crash in their chopper in October.
“The helicopter is probably the most expensive thing we own, but I won’t take the family in it now,” Carolyn admits. “Leicester are a local club and we knew the owners really well. We used to travel to our games in our helicopter but I can’t bring myself to use it now.”
Billionaire Babies will also see Carolyn spoil her boys Hugo, five, and four-year-old twins Rupert and Albert.“We had a party planner who has done events for the likes of Elton John and Adele,” she reveals. “He wanted to spend a ridiculous amount of money and when we cut him down to just £10,000 for the party he seemed unhappy!
“More than anything we wanted to do the show and open up our lives to help put Mansfield on the map.
“We see the bigger picture and want to get people talking so we can grow interest, create a buzz about Mansfield and entertain people – that’s what football is all about. There are so many foreign owners nowadays, we’re from this area and care about it.”
But, behind the scenes, Carolyn is keen to prove she’s a dedicated and capable hands-on boss, who has her players and fans at the forefront of her mind.
After taking up yoga with her personal trainer earlier this year, she’s now introduced yoga classes for the players three times a week.
“There is also a nutritionist and a new family zone for kids at the club.
“The yoga sessions have had a big impact,” she explains. “At first some players were really receptive and others less so, but now they can see that training doesn’t always have to be tough, rigorous and macho. “We’re seeing brilliant results. We even finish training sessions with a mindfulness meditation.
“I think it’s really important.
“There’s a real camaraderie in the camp this season and that’s important. I have so many ideas to bring in about mental health and wellness which I hope will start seeing us have the edge over other clubs in the league.”
As for the players’ Christmas party, Carolyn says she has buckled to their demands for a two-day trip to London, where they will be let off the leash to celebrate the festive season.
Spies
“They negotiated hard with John and I and the kitty kept going up and up,” she reveals.
“I swear the players’ Christmas party gets more and more elaborate. We feel anxious, I think, and will be sitting at home like nervous parents while that’s happening because, obviously, it’s our whole team all out socialising together.
“Of course I worry there will be girls involved or they will egg each other on now they are let off the leash.
“They’re normally so regimented during training and games so they will go wild.
“All we hope is no Christmas injuries! We do have spies in the camp for us – they will reel them in. Honestly, I wish I’d just given them one drink token each!”
But being a female boss in the normally male-dominated world of football has seen Carolyn fight off all sorts of flack.
She has previously branded the sport “an old-boys’ club”.
But she refuses to budge and hopes that – with more women joining clubs at boardroom level – attitudes will begin to change.
“Susanna Dinnage as head of the FA is a great start,” she says.
“It’s a great statement of intent and shows that people of all industry backgrounds can make their way into football and bring their experience.
“I still get the odd nasty comment but have grown a harder skin.
“I don’t think they see the 2am phone calls or the sacrifices we make – missing our children or family events – but for me it’s all worth it as we grow as a club.
“For now I will just keep tapping away, trying to stay strong, do my own thing and not be ashamed of who I am.”
Billionaire Babies is on Christmas Eve, 6.35pm, on Channel 5 ¬ÊVisit, MansfieldTown.net