Penguin’s commercial imprint, Michael Joseph, has acquired Coleen Rooney’s autobiography, which promises to reveal “the inside story into her legal battle with Rebekah Vardy”.
The forthcoming book, titled My Account, is billed as an insight into the infamous 2022 Wagatha Christie trial. It also promises readers a “full account” of Rooney’s life to date, from her childhood to her marriage to footballer Wayne Rooney.
In a press release, Penguin Michael Joseph, the book’s publisher, stated: “Coleen has been a figure of fascination and popularity since first being photographed aged 16 as the then-girlfriend of Wayne Rooney.
“Coleen’s career has included work as a columnist and presenter, but she has first and foremost been a hands-on mother to her and Wayne’s four sons.”
Rooney said of the book announcement: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Penguin Michael Joseph. My Account is an opportunity to tell my story in my way, from beginning to end. My highs and lows, triumphs and sad moments – and a few good laughs between the lines.”
Unveiling the book on Instagram, the publisher said that the autobiography is a tale of “what it means to stand up for yourself and your family”.
“Written in her own words, this candid account takes an intimate, behind the scenes look at the reality of a life lived on social media and under the scrutiny of the public eye,” the caption continued.
Rooney’s notoriety became more prevalent following her viral Twitter post in 2019, in which she claimed that stories about her personal life were being leaked to the press by Rebekah Vardy, the wife of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.
The cover of Coleen Rooney’s ‘My Account’— (Penguin Random House)
The accusation led to an Instagram-age whodunnit, with the two figures becoming embroiled in a high-profile legal dispute that culminated in a High Court hearing for libel.
Vardy strongly disputed the claims, however, the judge, Mrs Justice Steyn, ruled in Rooney’s favour in July 2022.
Since the trial concluded last summer, both parties in the Wagatha Christie trial have been basking in the publicity of its high-profile status. Meanwhile, Channel 4, Disney+ and the BBC have already released TV series recounting the infamous legal battle.
In April, Vardy trademarked the phrase “Wagatha Christie”, despite the fact she was not the one to come up with the pun playing on acclaimed mystery author Agatha Christie’s name. Meanwhile, Rooney appeared on the cover of British Vogue’s September edition.
In the interview for the cover story, Rooney told writer Raven Smith that there are still many details about the trial that the public are not aware of.
“I feel like a lot of people still don’t understand what happened, from beginning to end,” she said. “What I said in that [Twitter] post [in 2019], I still stick by today.”
“I’ve never been in a legal case before so for me it was scary,” she said, calling the trial a “horrible experience”.
“It was so difficult in that courtroom,” she said. “Especially watching [Vardy] on the stand. It was quite painful. I felt uneasy.”
My Account by Coleen Rooney (Penguin Michael Joseph, £22) is available for pre-order now and is out on 9th November 2023.
