In the UK, we don’t like our celebrities to be mythical. This is a land where Alison Hammond and Adele reign supreme. We like public figures who seem, not down to earth exactly, but familiar; people you can picture eating dinner on their laps in front of Coronation Street with a glass of Blossom Hill. We enjoy the delusion that the only difference between us and someone on TV is a lottery win. This is why the battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has gripped our attention for two and a half years and counting.
A tale of two Wags, Rooney v Vardy is the perfect storm of everyday pettiness and high-profile drama. On both sides are women who married into the public eye – through the former England player Wayne Rooney and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, respectively. Much like reality TV stars, the Wags’ relationship to the British tabloids is as symbiotic as it is stressful. Stories about anything from a new haircut to taking placenta pills fill the pages of the red tops. The content keeps their names relevant but also open to constant public scrutiny.
