Everyone's favourite amateur sleuth Coleen Rooney is ready to leave behind her 'Wagatha Christie' moniker as she ventures into the jungle, admitting, "I want to be known as Coleen from Liverpool."
The wife of football ace Wayne Rooney, who's been a tabloid staple for over 20 years, became an even bigger sensation following her viral tweet outing Rebekah Vardy for leaking stories about the Rooneys to the press. Her sleuthing skills earned her the nickname Wagatha Christie.
When asked what she thinks about the name and the possibility of being remembered in a different light, perhaps as queen of the jungle, Coleen expressed: "I think I’d rather just be known as Coleen from Liverpool. Not from any other type of place. It’s just me, as I always have been, so hopefully people just think she’s that scouser that she’s always been."
Just hours before heading into camp on Wednesday evening, Coleen, 38, offered her exclusive insights during her only interview pre-show and shortly after began filming. Amid her busy day, she made a few brief calls, but as a hands-on, pragmatic mum, there wasn't much time for sentimental chats with hubby Wayne.
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Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Coleen recounted: "My phone got taken off me when we landed. Like, when I came out of the airport. My last one was to Wayne, the kids were at school, so I’d already pre-spoken to them knowing that when I landed, they would have been at school. I just checked on everything.
"And then before that I spoke to my mum because she’s looking after the kids as well as Wayne. So it was just good luck and I just wanted to see if the kids got off to school ok. You say last phone call, but you are checking up on them before then to see if they’re all fine and everything's done, your final plans of things that’s going on at home. Not having that contact, I’d say up until now, has been the biggest thing. " Adding that the lack of contact feels isolating: "You get used to having your phone and speaking to people all the time, you feel a bit secluded from the world."
In a video shared on her socials, Coleen showed the extensive white board she left with instructions for her family – possibly including husband Wayne and mum Colette – covering the kids' lessons and footie practice for the next three weeks. Longing for a reunion, Coleen anticipates the moment she can see her boys - Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, 8, and Cass, six again, though not all might make it Down Under, sharing their dad's football passion.
She remarks: "My two youngest ones are coming over. They all had the option but the two older ones decided that they would stay at home to continue with school and football. I think I said when you come you’ll have to bring your work with you, and they would be missing some football tournaments, so they quickly changed their minds! "
"And also the fact that they don’t know when they get to see me. That was another big thing, if I did last and stayed in close to the end, there’s not going to be any time spent with me so I explained that. Obviously, I would have liked them all to come out but it makes sense in a way and they both chose a wise decision not to miss out on anything back home and as soon as the show’s over, I’m back straight away. So, it’s one of those things, I put it in their hands, they decided and I agree with it really. I think it was missing the football that really did it for them, they didn’t want to miss any tournaments."
Reflecting on the anticipated reunion, she adds: "Yeah, it will be the most magical moment. Obviously, it will be the longest I would have been apart from them and I think this is why it’s taken me so many years to agree to do the show because I’ve not wanted to leave the children for so long. But I feel like they’re all at an age now where they understand and I’ve got a good group of people looking after them and out for them, so I feel like we’re at the point when I’m content everything will be ok."
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