Coleen Rooney signs multimillion-pound deal with Disney+ for rights to tell-all Wagatha Christie documentary
- The streaming giants, who beat Netflix, Amazon Prime and Discovery to secure the new three-part series, confirmed at the Edinburgh TV Festival they had won the exclusive rights to Coleen’s story
- The WAG, 36, is set to earn more than her former England footballer husband Wayne, also 36, after securing the deal
- Coleen won their Wagatha Christie libel battle victory last month – leaving Rebekah with a multi-million pound sum to pay her
Coleen Rooney has signed a multimillion-pound deal with Disney+ for the rights to a tell-all Wagatha Christie documentary
The streaming giants, who beat Netflix, Amazon Prime and Discovery to secure the new three-part series, confirmed at the Edinburgh TV Festival they had won the exclusive rights to Coleen’s story.
The WAG, 36, is set to earn more than her former England footballer husband Wayne, also 36, after securing the deal following a bidding war with the other streaming giants.
Confirmed: Coleen Rooney has signed a multimillion-pound deal with Disney+ for the rights to a tell-all Wagatha Christie documentary
Describing the project they said in their announcement: ‘The three-part series will take viewers from the circumstances that led to her infamous Instagram post that ‘broke the Internet’ all the way to Coleen being a successful defendant in one of the UK’s highest-profile High Court defamation cases brought against her by Rebekah Vardy.
‘In a story for our times, Wagatha Christie will reveal how fiercely determined and resilient Coleen had to be in order to protect her family from the challenges presented by the traditional and social media landscapes.’
The series will take viewers back to the first social media post that initiated the story, all the way through to the High Court case, and will feature interviews with family, friends and key players involved in the trial.
It will also look at how Coleen has been in the public spotlight for two decades, having begun dating footballer husband Wayne when they were teenagers.
Sean Doyle, Disney+ director of unscripted content, said: ‘Well what a story, first and and foremost. Everything we do has to be an amazing story that has amazing twists and turns in it.
Documentary: The Sun previously reported that the programme – which will follow the story of her bitter libel court battle with fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy , 40 – will be made by Lorton Entertainment, which released Wayne’s documentary this year
The Sun previously reported that the programme – which will follow the story of her bitter libel court battle with fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy, 40 – will be made by Lorton Entertainment, which released Wayne’s documentary this year.
Coleen won their Wagatha Christie libel battle victory last month – leaving Rebekah with a multi-million pound sum to pay her.
Wayne – who manages soccer team DC United in Washington – earns a reported £800,000 a year in the role.
Money: The WAG, 36, is set to earn more than her former England footballer husband Wayne, also 36, after securing the deal following a bidding war with the other streaming giants
A source told The Sun: ‘This is a massive deal for Coleen — in every sense. For the first time in 20 years, she will be the main breadwinner.
‘She is also getting across her own side of the story in terms of Wagatha Christie. Since her first damning social media post outing Rebekah, she has remained steadfastly silent.
‘Now the public will see first hand the toll this whole case took on her, and her family — and why she took the action she took.’
Drama: Coleen won their Wagatha Christie libel battle victory last month – leaving Rebekah with a multi-million pound sum to pay her
Coleen and Rebekah are set for one last dramatic High Court showdown over who will foot the multi-million-pound bill for their costly ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel battle.
Sources close to Coleen – who won the case last month – told The Mail on Sunday she will fight to make sure Rebekah pays the full amount, estimated to be up to £3million.
Usually a winning party will still have to pay about 30 per cent of the costs.
But Coleen’s team claim the judge’s damning judgment that Becky did sell stories about her to The Sun newspaper means it is ‘inconceivable’ that she won’t be made to pay the full amount.
Mrs Justice Steyn ruled last month that Becky and her agent Caroline Watt had leaked stories about Coleen, wife of ex-England skipper Wayne.
Tough: Rebekah sued her former friend for libel over a now-famous social media post in which Coleen described setting up a ‘sting operation’ by posting fake stories to selected followers on her private Instagram account to uncover who was leaking stories about her to The Sun (pictured together at Euro 2016)
Rebekah sued her former friend for libel over a now-famous social media post in which Coleen described setting up a ‘sting operation’ by posting fake stories to selected followers on her private Instagram account to uncover who was leaking stories about her to The Sun.
The ‘big reveal’ post in October 2019 ended: ‘It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account.’
After Rebekah brought legal action, Coleen offered her a ‘drop hands’ offer, which meant they would both walk away, paying their own costs. She also suggested they make a charity donation.
But Rebekah declined, leading to a costly High Court trial. Now, after her victory, Coleen wants her rival to pay up.
A source close to Coleen said: ‘Coleen didn’t want this to happen. She knew the money would be better spent on so many other things but she won’t be letting Rebekah get away with not paying the full costs.
‘She tried to settle this early on but Rebekah wouldn’t have it. And if you look at the outlining of the judgment, it is inconceivable that a judge wouldn’t agree she will pay them in full. Let’s not forget, this action was brought by Rebekah and she lost spectacularly.’
During a preliminary hearing in March last year, the costs were estimated at £1.3million.
Now, after the case’s two-week High Court hearing, reports have claimed the total could be £3million.
Rebekah’s barrister, Hugh Tomlinson QC, reportedly charges £10,000 a day, while his opposite number, David Sherborne, charges about £8,000.
There is speculation that Rebekah and her husband, Leicester City striker Jamie, may have to sell their Portuguese villa to pay the legal bill.
Continued support: The Sun claims that the tell-all show will be made by Lorton Entertainment, which released Wayne’s documentary this year (pictured)
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