In a surprising move, Coleen Rooney, known for fiercely guarding her privacy, has signed up for the new series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! launching tonight. The decision marks a departure from her usual low-key persona, raising questions about what this well-paid stint in the jungle could mean for the remaking of her public image.
From WAG to Wagatha: Rooney’s Evolving Image
Rooney first entered the public eye as the teenage sweetheart of football star Wayne Rooney. However, she never quite fit the stereotypical “WAG” mold, preferring to stay out of the limelight and focus on her family. It wasn’t until the explosive “Wagatha Christie” scandal in 2019, when she publicly accused fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy of selling stories about her to the press, that Rooney’s image began to shift.
The Wagatha Effect
The Wagatha Christie case, which Rooney won in 2022, catapulted her into a new cultural orbit. She was suddenly seen as clever, composed, and determined – a far cry from the “girl next door” persona she had cultivated for years. The scandal spawned books, plays, and TV adaptations, cementing Rooney’s status as a media phenomenon.
Wagatha ushered in a New Age of Coleen, in which she became recalibrated in the public eye as composed, clever, determined. Yet, for all that, still curiously unknowable.
– A source close to Rooney
Class and Privacy in the Spotlight
Despite her newfound fame, Rooney has remained intensely private. Her marriage to Wayne has weathered multiple scandals, often exposing the couple to harsh media scrutiny and class-based snobbery. Throughout it all, Rooney has maintained a dignified silence, rarely opening up about her personal life.
Her decision to join I’m a Celebrity, then, comes as a surprise to many. The show thrives on “big personalities” and intimate revelations – two things Rooney has studiously avoided throughout her time in the public eye. Some speculate that her rumored £1.5 million payday was simply too good to pass up, while others wonder if this marks a deliberate shift in her carefully curated image.
A Jungle Reinvention?
As Rooney prepares to face the challenges of the jungle – from grueling physical trials to the psychological pressure of constant cameras – many are wondering how she will fare. Will the notoriously private star finally let her guard down, or will she maintain the poise and reserve she’s known for?
Some believe Rooney’s stint on the show could be a canny move, allowing her to take control of her narrative and present a more multidimensional version of herself to the public. Others worry that the pressure to “open up” and conform to reality TV tropes could backfire, undermining the hard-won respect she gained during the Wagatha trial.
You can’t help wondering whether, if Strictly Come Dancing hadn’t been mired in sundry difficulties, it might have been a better – less personally exposing – fit for the desperately private Mrs Rooney.
– TV industry insider
The High Stakes of Reality Fame
Regardless of how she fares in the jungle, Rooney’s participation in I’m a Celebrity marks a significant moment in her public life. By stepping into the unpredictable world of reality television, she is taking a gamble – one that could either cement her status as a beloved national figure or tarnish the reputation she’s fought so hard to protect.
As viewers tune in to watch Rooney navigate the challenges of camp life, they will be looking for glimpses of the “real” Coleen – the woman behind the headlines, the loyal wife, the protective mother. Whether she chooses to reveal that woman to the cameras remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: her jungle journey will be closely watched, endlessly dissected, and potentially transformative.
In the end, perhaps the biggest question is not whether Rooney can survive the jungle, but whether the jungle can survive Rooney. As she herself has proven time and again, underestimating this quietly formidable woman is a mistake her critics make at their peril. Coleen Rooney may be stepping out of her comfort zone, but she’s doing it on her own terms – and that, in itself, is a victory.
