I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! might have attracted one of its biggest stars ever for its forthcoming series.
The ITV juggernaut, which launched in 2002, is returning in November, and it was reported earlier this month that footballer Wayne Rooney will be entering the jungle as a contestant.
Rooney’s possible appearance would arrive two years after his wife, Coleen Rooney, came second on the show, after banking an estimated £1.5m.
Wayne was asked directly about the reports during an appearance on daytime show This Morning, while promoting his new Disney+ series The Real Rooneys, and viewers are now convinced he’s going to be on I’m a Celebrity.
“Obviously, we’re all very excited about the new series,” host Ben Shephard said, adding: “You’re looking fit and healthy, so you’re ready for the shower shot in your swimming trunks, with the six pack. Is it something you’re considering?”
He replied: “No. I’ve been asked all the time as well, and there’s obviously rumours being thrown the last few years, and there’s rumours again this year. So you’ll have to wait and see.”
When Shephard repeated the last part of the answer to him, a sheepish Rooney smiled.
When Rooney’s potential involvement was first reported, a source told The Sun on Sunday: “Wayne is in advanced talks and if they secure him, he’ll be their biggest signing in the show’s history.”
ITV is once again facing renewed pressure to pull together an impressive list of famous faces due to the high calibre of stars the BBC has managed to recruit for The Celebrity Traitors – season two of which will be arriving later this year.
Other rumours include Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu, Paralympian Ade Adepitan and one-half of ice skating Olympic champions Torvill & Dean, Christopher Dean.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will return to host proceedings, and it’ll be the first series since a second run of an all-stars version of the show aired.
The series made headlines earlier this year thanks to the biggest showdown in reality TV history after a fallout between Adam Thomas and Jimmy Bullard, which even put Ant and Dec through their paces.
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