ITV is planning to make Coleen Rooney their new golden girl.
The WAG, 38, has signed the biggest ever deal in I’m A Celebrity’s 22-year history, securing an eye-watering £1.5million for her stint in the jungle.
With the series set to launch on Sunday, ITV have already began plotting maximum coverage to make Coleen a huge star, airing her Disney+ Wagatha Christie documentary on Thursday.
According to insiders, network bosses are hoping this will be the start of a long partnership with Coleen, with the door open for ‘huge TV deals’ and offers of This Morning appearances.
A source told : ‘ITV have been asking her for I’m A Celebrity for ages but they’ve also asked her to do other shows and get her on This Morning.
ITV is planning to make Coleen Rooney their new golden girl. The WAG, 38, has secured the biggest ever deal in I’m A Celebrity’s 22-year history, securing £1.5million for her stint
According to insiders, network bosses are hoping this will be the start of a long partnership with Coleen, with the door open for ‘huge TV deals’ and offers of This Morning appearances
Coleen joins a star-studded line-up: Tulisa Contostavlos, Barry McGuigan, Danny Jones, Melvin O’Doom, Oti Mabuse, Alan Halsall, Jane Moore, GK Barry and Dean McCullough
‘She has always said no and now this is her time. She is going to be the biggest paid star on I’m A Celebrity. The door is open to huge TV deals now.
‘It’s time for Coleen. ITV knows she resonates with the viewers and she could well become Queen of the Jungle. ITV are going to go for it and so is she.
‘Wayne’s football career is over now and it is her turn to shine. Wayne is so supportive of her.
‘She’s been offered so many shows in the past and now she’s going to say yes.’
Wayne, 39, retired from playing football in 2021 and is now the manager of EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle.
Bosses are hoping Coleen’s popularity could provide a huge boost in ratings for the broadcaster, after a turbulent year following Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby’s departure from This Morning.
Holly, 43, had been on the show for 14 years before she stepped down and was replaced by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.
Ahead of her arrival in , Coleen revealed she had always turned down offers to star in I’m A Celebrity over the years as she felt her four sons – Kai, 13, Klay, 10, Kit, seven, and Cass, five – were too young, but now feels it is the right time.
With the series set to launch on Sunday, ITV have already begun plotting maximum exposure to make Coleen a huge star, snapping up her Disney+ Wagatha Christie documentary
Ahead of her arrival in , Coleen revealed she had always turned down offers to star in I’m A Celebrity over the years as she felt her four sons were too young, but now is ready
Bosses are hoping Coleen’s popularity could provide a huge boost in ratings, after a turbulent year following Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby departure from This Morning
Holly, 43, had been on the show for 14 years before she stepped down. Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard took over as hosts, with producers hoping Coleen could join the show
Coleen has found a surge of support from the public after her well documented Wagatha Christie High Court case against her arch rival Rebekah Vardy, 42.
Their trial – which Coleen won – came after a widely-shared social media post in October 2019, in which Coleen said she had carried out a ‘sting operation’ and accused Rebekah’s Instagram account of leaking ‘false stories’ about her private life to the press.
Rebekah lost the libel case and was ordered to pay up to £1.5million towards Coleen’s legal fees.
The source added: ‘The court case took the wind out of her sails but made her realise life is short and she really wants to go for it and there is a little bit of vengeance back at Rebekah Vardy.
‘All Becky Vardy wanted to be was on TV and Coleen knows she will always be the bigger star and shine more brightly.’
has contacted Coleen’s representatives and ITV for comment.
Coleen has found a surge of support from the public after her well documented Wagatha Christie High Court case against her arch rival Rebekah Vardy, 42
Rebekah lost the libel case and was ordered to pay up to £1.5million towards Coleen’s legal fees
Rebekah also has a close relationship with ITV, having starred on I’m A Celebrity in 2017
She appeared on Dancing On Ice in 2021 alongside Andy Buchanan
Rebekah also has a close relationship with ITV, having starred on I’m A Celebrity in 2017, Dancing On Ice in 2021 and made made multiple appearances as a guest panellist and presenter on Loose Women.
The WAG, who is married to Jamie Vardy, was reportedly paid around £100,000 – a smidgen of the £1.5million Coleen is set to rake in.
She has jetted off on a week long holiday to Dubai as Coleen heads into the jungle.
A source told the Mail’s Katie Hind: ‘The holiday came along at quite a fortuitous time. Jamie has a weekend off playing for Leicester as there is an international break so they thought they’d escape for some sun.
‘But it isn’t lost on Becky that she will be sipping her champagne while Coleen will be eating witchetty grubs. Becky thinks it’s hilarious and of course she will be tuning into the show.
‘She’ll watch from a hotel suite that Coleen would be so envious of while she is slumming it on I’m A Celeb – and Rebekah will be showing everyone.’
Meanwhile, longtime hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly are plotting Wagatha Christie gags at the expense of Becky when chatting about Coleen on the show.
A show insider told the Mail on Sunday: ‘Talks about scripts and trials are throwing up hilarious ideas, like a swear jar.
‘A plan is having tasks based on a Cluedo-type idea with Coleen as the detective. But there have been reports about Rebekah having lawyers watch the show because she owns the trademark to the phrase Wagatha Christie.
‘It’ll all be tongue in cheek but Rebekah probably won’t see it that way. She’s still very bitter.’
Ahead of her jungle stint, rumours swirled she could be exempt from some Bushtucker Trials as she has reactive arthritis, which affects the joints and is set off by stress.
The star previously shared that she suffered a crippling bout of the condition due to the stress of her Wagatha Christie legal battle with Rebekah.
However, Coleen has cleared up the speculation that it could hold her back in a video message shared with her one million Instagram followers – and revealed that nothing will be off limits.
She said: ‘I would like to experience it, something different, do something for myself, meet new people. I’m looking forward to doing the trials.
‘There’s been a lot of news saying that I can’t do trials because of certain illnesses but I can confirm I can do every trial, so I am not excluded from any, that was just a load of rubbish.’
I’m A Celebrity stars on ITV and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday 17th November.
I’M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP
OTI MABUSE
Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt
AGE: 34
OCCUPATION: Professional dancer
FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020.
DANNY JONES
Danny Jones is one of the bookies’ favourites to win this year’s I’m A Celeb
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: McFly singer
FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly.
He is also a coach on The Voice UK.
BARRY MCGUIGAN
Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer
FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986.
GK BARRY
GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: TikTok star
FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel.
DEAN MCCULLOUGH
ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ
FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I’m A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views.
Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot.
JANE MOORE
Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women
AGE: 62
OCCUPATION: Journalist
FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002.
She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards.
Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow.
MELVIN ODOOM
Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021
AGE: 44
OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter
FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I’m A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute.
He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016.
COLEEN ROONEY
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: WAG
FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy.
Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show’s history, exceeding Nigel Farage’s £1.5million from last year.
ALAN HALSALL
Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: Actor
FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I’m A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery.
Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap.
TULISA
Tulisa is making her career comeback after reuniting with N-Dubz last year
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge
FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007.
In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss.
She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year.