The Real Rooneys opens the doors to Coleen and Wayne Rooney’s family life during a year of major change, old tensions and the occasional reminder that a night out does not become less annoying just because it happened on holiday.
Speaking ahead of the 10-part Disney+ series, the couple said their 24-year relationship has survived intense public scrutiny because they have given problems time rather than making quick decisions.
“I think we’re doing well, aren’t we?” Coleen, 40, asked Wayne with a smile. “We’ve had really high highs, and we’ve had lows, but we’ve got each other and we’ve got a good support system around us.”
What does the series show about Rooney family life?
Filming began during a turning point for Wayne, 40, after Plymouth Argyle Football Club dismissed him as manager. The former Manchester United and England captain moved away from the touchline and into a routine involving school runs and punditry work for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Cameras also followed life at the family’s £20 million Cheshire home with their four sons: Kai, 16, Klay, 13, Kit, 10, and Cass, eight.
Wayne said the children have grown up around public comments about their parents, including the less flattering material that tends to travel fastest.
“They’ve been exposed to it all from the beginning, from when I was playing, and people commenting on things, all the bad stuff,” he said. “They’re not getting away from that. But they deal with it well.”
Coleen said the couple remain closely connected to their families and childhood neighbourhoods in Liverpool. Their sons regularly return to the city, spending time with cousins and riding bikes around the estate.
“We tell them they’re in a really privileged position and they’re lucky, but they’ve got the morals that we were brought up with,” she said.
How did the Wagatha Christie case change Coleen?
The series also revisits Coleen’s libel battle with Rebekah Vardy, the legal drama widely known as the Wagatha Christie case.
The High Court ruled in Coleen’s favour after Vardy sued over an accusation that stories from Coleen’s private Instagram account had been leaked to the press. During the case, Coleen’s barrister described the claim as “probably the most ill-advised legal action since Oscar Wilde put pen to writ.” Courtroom understatement was apparently unavailable that day.
Coleen said the trial was not part of any grand career strategy.
“The court case wasn’t planned, and it was the worst period in my life. I absolutely hated it,” she said. “And I didn’t want to thrive off the back of that.”
However, the worldwide attention allowed her to tell her side of the story and eventually close that chapter. Public support also gave her more confidence to accept new work while continuing to prioritise motherhood.
Following her 2024 appearance on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, she received further opportunities, including a clothing collection with Primark.
“I’ve felt a lot of love from people,” Coleen said. “It gave me that little bit of confidence to think, do you know what? Let me take up some of those opportunities that I’ve been getting and go back to the things that I do love, as well as being a mum.”
Why did Coleen tell Wayne to take responsibility?
Coleen and Wayne first met at the age of 12 in Croxteth, Liverpool, before his football career took off at Everton Football Club. Their long relationship has included success, four children and several heavily reported setbacks.
One of the more tense scenes in the show concerns Wayne staying up all night with friends during a family holiday. Coleen tells the camera that the incident left her wondering whether separation might show them what life apart would actually look like.
“It was a time where we weren’t in a good place,” she said while discussing the footage.
Wayne quickly offered his defence: “It was only a night out!”
Coleen was not persuaded. “See, it was one night out of many nights out,” she replied. “I’ve come to a point where I just said, ‘Come on Wayne, take some responsibility.’”
She added, with admirable efficiency: “He was doing my head in.”
The exchange shows the couple’s familiar dynamic, but it also points to a more serious problem. Coleen wanted Wayne to acknowledge a pattern rather than treat each incident as an isolated event with no apparent relatives.
How have Coleen and Wayne stayed together?
Despite the arguments shown on screen, both say their marriage is now in a happy place. Wayne credited their commitment to working through difficult periods and making time for each other amid a busy family life.
“We love each other,” he said. “You have difficult moments in any marriage and then you find a way of getting through those tough times. We’ve got four children, and it can be hectic, but I think it’s important that you find the time for each other.”
Coleen said public attention has made their problems more complicated, with outsiders often reaching firm conclusions before the couple themselves have decided what to do.
“We’ve had ups and downs with everyone looking in on it,” she said. “These days a lot of people are quick to make a decision, whereas we give things time to see whether we can work it out. We’re in a really happy place.”
The series begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ on September 24.
