Wayne Rooney
Former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney may have already fallen foul of a 'little-known' ITV rule, despite not yet having entered the I'm a Celeb jungle ahead of this year's flagship Ant and Dec show.
Having previously voiced his motivation to one day do better than wife Coleen - who appeared on the show and finished as runner-up in 2024 - 'Wazza' now has the chance to do just that, after the full lineup was confirmed this week.
He will be joined in the Australian jungle by several other famous Brits, too. Among the star-studded lineup are Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, and wheelchair basketball legend and Paralympian Ade Adepitan.
Given Rooney's reputation as one of the biggest names in the sporting world, he is expected to be among the show's highest-ever-paid campmates. But if getting off to a good start was part of his plan, he may already have broken a rule.
michael owen
michael owen
Wayne Rooney Might Have Broken ITV Rule Before I'm a Celeb Starts
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
The 41-year-old will have to adhere to a number of protocols before entering the jungle, including a psychological evaluation, as well as informing I'm A Celeb bosses about whether there are any trials he would not be able to complete on medical grounds.
Unfortunately for the Red Devils' legend, he cannot rule himself out of underwater trials, despite having admitted he has a phobia of large fish. Meanwhile, he has probably broken protocol which states that contestants cannot seek advice from those who have been on the show before.
Did it happen before or after?
Round 1 of 9
With Rooney living under the same roof as his wife, Coleen, who previously appeared on the show, this puts him in a unique position compared to his fellow contestants. That said, it is a rule ITV seemingly has little interest in enforcing, given the obvious difficulties in policing such conversations.
Others have broken this rule in the past, as actor Danny Thomas, who won the 2022 edition of I'm A Celebrity and plays Aaron Dingle in Emmerdale, revealed that he had sought advice from his former co-star Adam Thomas, who himself entered the jungle back in 2016, and won I'm A Celeb South Africa earlier this year.
The Full 2026 I'm a Celeb Lineup
REUTERS/Myung Jung Kim
There cannot be too many complaints among viewers this year, with the 2026 I'm a Celeb lineup perhaps the best it's ever been, with a range of different personalities and backgrounds coming together ahead of the curtain-raiser on November 16. See the full lineup below:
Ade Adepitan - TV presenter and former wheelchair basketball player
Leomie Anderson - Model and TV presenter
Claire Sweeney - Actress and singer
Leigh Francis - Comedian and TV presenter
Wayne Rooney - TV pundit, football manager and former footballer
Chloe Burrows - TV personality and radio presenter
[ Wayne and Kai Rooney
Wayne and Kai Rooney](https://www.givemesport.com/kai-rooney-banned-dad-wayne-watching-him-play-football/)
Ricky Wilson - Singer and Kaiser Chiefs frontman
Joanna Page - Actress and TV panelist
AJ Odudu - TV presenter
Jack Skipper - Comedian
Mariella Frostrop - Journalist and TV presenter
Sharky - Social media personality and member of 'Beta Squad'