Rebekah Vardy has insisted she “couldn’t care less” that Coleen Rooney has followed her into I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – and is “enjoying” watching her taking part in trials as she and fellow former contestant Dennis Wise launch a new drinks venture together.
Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, told the PA news agency she has “no issues whatsoever” with watching Rooney on the hit ITV show.
She said: “Why would I be uncomfortable with Coleen? The general consensus is that I have a real issue with her being on a show that I’ve done.
“I couldn’t care less. I have no issues whatsoever. I’m actually quite enjoying it.”
Rooney was dubbed Wagatha Christie when she accused Norwich-born Vardy of leaking her private information to The Sun in a viral post on social media.
In July 2022, a judge at the High Court found the post was “substantially true”.
Vardy, who is writing a column for The Sun newspaper about this year’s I’m A Celebrity series, has already stoked controversy after telling of her glee at seeing Rooney fall into the river twice, saying “it’s the gift that keeps on giving”.
The reality TV show has also sparked a new business partnership and long-term friendship with former Chelsea and England footballer Wise, who joined Vardy in the Australian jungle in 2017.
The pair, who have remained close friends since their I’m A Celebrity experience, are launching a sweet-flavoured vodka shot range as part of a new drinks business venture together.
It is a fun drink and shows that we don't really take ourselves too seriously
Called SK-TL Vodka Shots, the range was inspired by Skittle sweets-flavoured vodka shot recipes created by Vardy’s footballer husband Jamie.
Vardy, 42, said the idea came about after Wise tried some of Jamie’s recipes at their house.
Vardy said: “When Dennis came over, we had some already done on the side.
“So I thought, well, how amazing would it be to bring the vision to life and to create something that was really, really fun.”
Developed with Leicester drinks maker Drinks Chef, Vardy and Wise have also brought in a small number of partners and investors into the business, including Barnsley Football Club co-owner Julie Anne Quay.
Three flavours are being unveiled initially – lemon, strawberry and orange – which will be available online and in bars and restaurants across the UK, with the launch kicking off with a promotional video starring the pair on social media.
“It is a fun drink and shows that we don’t really take ourselves too seriously and we can have a laugh,” said Vardy.
“Dennis and I have always got on really, really well.
“We’re really close as a family as well and the kids are really good friends.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to go into business with.”
She added: “We got on really well in the jungle and our friendship’s developed ever since.”
Wise said he has helped support Vardy, but stressed the idea was “her baby”.
“She’s got a bit of entrepreneur in her – she won’t say it, but she has,” he told PA.
The launch comes as Rooney has also signed up to be the face of – and an investor in – Liverpool-based company sports health firm Applied Nutrition, which floated on the stock exchange last month with a £350 million valuation.
Vardy said that, together with Wise, they have been involved in the product launch “from day one”.
“We’ve gone through the branding process, we’ve gone through the flavour selections, but also it’s a product we truly believe in and we truly enjoy.
“We think the product’s brilliant and we hope other people that try it think the same.”
