Two main routes. Not sure.

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Bit of a moan here, really.
I am really stuck between two main career/education pathways. It's tough because I have an interest in so many things. On one side I have the "scientfic" career route. I am interested in Physics and as a child often wanted to be a research scientist. Yet on the other hand there is the more "creative" route. I would like to write and am interested in animation. These two seem poles apart. It's becoming quite a lot of pressure because I ain't getting any younger and I only have so many years of free education left.
There are BTECs and there are A Levels and there are part-time courses, and then some unis only let you in if you have A Levels. Sigh.
And I can't afford to be as picky as I would like because due to a bit of a breakdown I only scraped a handful of GCSEs.
It's a bit scary because in my mind this is a lifelong career I'll be aiming for. I'd like to have a good one. It feels like time is running out.
Does anybody have any advice, or found themselves in a similar situation? Are you faced with a really tough call at the moment?

You could work to make engines for animation. They require a physics background, as you need to know how items and people will interact with their enviroment, and also animation.

Its maths heavy, so I'd major in that.

Go for science...it is more stable econimicaly and will allow you to use more creativity then you might now realize. You can also explore your creative side during your non-work hours and then it will be more fun, then if you have to do it for money and based on someone elses requirements. You would be surprised at how little you actually get to use your creativity when you have to work for an employer who is just making or trying to sell "widgets". Alot of it is really boring from what I have heard. I think the gaming market is going to be pretty saturated too because gaming is so popular and a lot of it can be out-sourced to countrie that have lower wages.

If you're going to pay for an education stick with the sciences. You'll get a better return for your investment. Pick a field you like and one that will have a future demand. Being happy with what you study might seem the thing to do, except you won't be very happy if you have a degree in a profession of low demand. Look into the hard sciences and mathematics, something along the lines that is likely to get you a good job.

Going to college for art or writing is a waste of time and money. Liberal Arts is really no more than PC indoctrination these days. Why waste your time and money to be fed a load of bull? Basically you will just be writing papers that you know will please the professor. Even the styles and methods they teach are sub-par, unless you are very careful about what school you go to and what instructors you get.

If you really want to go the creative route then just teach yourself. There is nothing you can learn there that you can't teach yourself. Most students aren't college material. So if you have real ability you will stand above them even without a degree.

You will have the most energy and strength in your early-adult years. Why waste the best years of your life getting into debt and learning things that you're going to have to unlearn latter on? Otherwise just get a regular job. You'll get ahead faster that way.

Re: Physics -- be sure to look closely into exactly what job/career you want and the availability of such positions. In the USA the days of "get a PhD in Physics and get a research career (or any job in the field)" are long over. (end of the Cold War killed lots of research funding (weapons & non-weapons related)) Not many job counselors are aware of that, so be careful.

Art Therapy. Seriously. Therapy is science and research based, but with the art, it would be creative as well. I'm getting my masters in Music Therapy. The undergrad is a B.S.

I can totally agree with your problem, I'm having the same myself. I'm only just sitting GCSEs, but before the diagnosis, I wanted to be a midwife. Now I realise how much of a social job that is...I know people say you can learn to be social, but it's not like it comes naturally...
I really wanna do something in human biology, but what is beyond me...

As for your case, research scientist sounds interesting ^^

whatever is most appealing to you