Wayne Rooney ‘can’t wait’ for I’m A Celebrity viewers to see real Coleen

Wayne Rooney has said he ‘can’t wait’ to see his wife Coleen Rooney on I’m A Celebrity.

The star, 38, has flown to Australia to join the ITV reality series as a campmate in what is thought to be the biggest deal in the show’s history.

She’s joining the likes of GK Barry and Tulisa, and will be taking on Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s grim bushtucker trials, with the series launching tonight.

Dancing On Ice judge and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, Loose Women’s Jane Moore and McFly star Danny Jones are also among this year’s contestants.

Ahead of tonight’s launch episode airing, Wayne shared an image of him with his wife and their four sons, Kai Wayne, Klay Anthony, Kit Joseph and Cass Mac, on Instagram on Sunday, and wrote: ‘Good luck to our mum who’s in the jungle for @imacelebrity.

‘We’re missing you already but can’t wait to watch you do some trials (wink face emoji) and for people to see what you’re all about. The best. We love you @coleen_rooney.’

In the episode on Sunday, the celebrities will pair up and face challenges in a bid to become the leaders of the camp, with Rooney and BBC Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough choosing to compete together.

The top dogs will get certain privileges, including being exempt from chores and sleeping in the leaders’ lodge.

Also in this year’s series is Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall, BBC Radio 1 star Melvin Odoom, internet personality and Loose Women host Jane Moore and former Irish boxer Barry McGuigan.

This comes after reports that Wayne, 38, was said to be ‘worried’ that she will drudge up the past because she is ‘very open and honest’.

Ahead of Coleen’s I’m A Celebrity appearance being confirmed, a source told OK Magazine: ‘Wayne is a little worried about what she will say about their marriage, and whether all his past misbehaviour gets brought up.

‘Coleen is very open and honest – if she bonds with someone in there, she will talk about everything she’s been through, including stuff with Wayne and Becky.’

Wayne has previously been at the centre of scandals concerning his past behaviour with alcohol and other women.

In 2017, Wayne was stopped by the police after being found behind the wheel of a VW Beetle belonging to lettings agent Laura Simpson, who had met Wayne on a night out while his wife Coleen – who was pregnant with their fourth child – was on holiday.

Coleen spoke about the incident in Disney Plus documentary The Real Wagatha Story saying: ‘It was just sickening. I’ve had that feeling in my stomach a few times and I would never wish anyone to feel that.’

She continued: ‘Wayne just said, “sorry, I’m sorry” and I said “well you can’t be sorry because it’s wrong what you’ve done”, and I just kept saying “you’re stupid, you’re so stupid”. I was just heartbroken.’

In 2010, It was claimed by Helen Wood that the Derby County manager paid £1,000 for a threesome with her and Jennifer Thompson in a Manchester hotel while Coleen was five months pregnant.

Six years previously Wayne confessed to soliciting sex workers in Liverpool while dating Coleen, saying at the time: ‘I was young and stupid. It was at a time when I was very young and immature and before I had settled down with Coleen.

Addressing his indiscretions in Amazon Prime documentary Rooney, Wayne said: ‘Stuff which has happened in the past with girls for instance, of course, it’s the stuff I regret, so much I feel there’s stuff stuck against my name.’

Coleen’s I’m A Celebrity appearance comes weeks after Rebekah Vardy was ordered to pay her a further £100,000 after she lost her High Court claim in 2022.

The trial centred on Coleen accusing Rebekah of leaking her private information to the press on social media. Rebekah lost the libel case and was later ordered to pay 90% of Coleen’s fees, with an initial payment of £800,000.

Last month, senior costs judge Andrew Gordon-Saker ordered Rebekah to pay a further £100,000 to Coleen within 21 days.

Coleen’s fee is understood to be the largest in the show’s history, trumping Nigel Farage’s £1.5million last year.

Rebekah appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2017, becoming the third campmate to be eliminated.

Ahead of this year’s I’m A Celebrity airing, Rebekah, 42, has taken a series of swipes at Coleen, and when asked by The Sun what she would like to see Coleen chomp on during the ITV show, Rebekah responded: ‘A penis. Or humble pie.’

When asked whether that was the worst thing Coleen had ever had in her mouth, Rebekah replied: ‘I don’t know. You have to look at her husband really, don’t you?’

Ouch.

Metro previously approached Coleen and Wayne’s reps for comment when a version of this article was published on October 17, 2024.