Coleen Rooney claims Wagatha case triggered hidden illness which 'stripped' her

10 October 2023 , 07:07

904     0

Coleen Rooney will open up about the toll Wagatha Christie had on her (Image: Ben Blackall/Disney+)

Coleen Rooney has addressed the Wagatha Christie court case with Rebekah Vardy.

The former television personality was embroiled in a heated legal row with Vardy at the English High Court, Vardy v Rooney in 2022 which saw a judge side with Coleen. Three years prior, in 2019, Coleen sensationally accused Rebekah of leaking private stories to the British media via her Instagram account – a claim she continues to strongly deny.

Their battle saw the case come to trial at the High Court in May 2022 after Vardy, 41, sued Rooney, 37, for libel. However, the presiding judge Mrs Justice Steyn ruled in favour of Coleen and said that Rebekah had passed information about Rooney to the media. Until now, Coleen has remained silent on the case but is set to openly discuss it for the first time in a bombshell Disney+ docuseries and claimed the trial left her ill.

Coleen has remained silent – until now (Ben Blackall/Disney+)

Speaking to the camera, Liverpool-born Rooney said: "It caused anxiety and there were lots of tears. I have reactive arthritis. I've had it previously but this situation brought it on a lot more. It stripped me of my character and I didn’t want to socialise with people. I was completely in my own world. It was not a nice place to be."

According to the NHS, reactive arthritis causes redness and swelling (inflammation) to different joints in the body, often the knees, feet, toes, hips and ankles. The organisation states that it often develops after suffering from an infection or food poisoning and clears up within a few months.

Sherlock Holmes Museum boss wins fight to evict brother from home in 10-year row

The mum-of-four continued to say: "It hit home just how low I was at that time. My emotions really came out and that made the interview process quite intense, but then it was also a good chance to reflect. I stuck to my guns from beginning to end. My story never changed from day one, and I was telling the truth."

But while Coleen remained adamant it was Rebekah and her account who leaked stories, she had no idea that the case would eventually involve the courts. "I thought there might be a few cross words said, but I didn't think it would explode like it did," she said. Prior to finding herself on the stand giving evidence, Coleen says she tried everything possible in order to escape court – although this would have meant that she would have to retract her bombshell statement.

Despite being in the media since the age of 16 due to her relationship with the former Everton midfielder whom she met while they were at school. Now, Coleen can look to the future. "It consumed my life for a few years so it's a weight off my shoulders now, and I can get back to focusing properly on my family and friends, who mean a lot to me," she concluded.

Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story aires on Disney+ on Wednesday, October 18.

Daniel Bird