I made a promise to Wayne Rooney because of the extraordinary thing he did for me one night, reveals...
My heart was pounding as I searched through my gold clutch. My phone was nowhere to be found while I sat in a hotel bar in London. I hoped desperately that it was in my bag.
Just as I was about to completely lose it, the guy across from me started looking around on the floor. He reassured me that I shouldn’t stress and that everything would be found.
The person I was with was Wayne Rooney, who was the standout forward for both Manchester United and the England national team. We were having some drinks late at night at the Royal Lancaster Hotel after he had received the Player of the Year award from the esteemed Football Writers' Association in the spring of 2010.
After catching a flight from Majorca, where he was enjoying a vacation with his wife Coleen and their baby Kai (who stayed behind in the sunny weather while Wayne returned for the event), he ended the evening with a drink and some friendly conversation with me, thanks to a colleague who set up our meeting.
Clearly captivated by Wayne, who was only 24 at the time, I had briefly glanced away from my cherished Blackberry, and it was snatched right from in front of me.
I called over the waitstaff for assistance and inquired with Wayne's manager, the intimidating Paul Stretford, who was seated next to him, if he had noticed anything. No luck.
Then something incredible occurred: Wayne noticed two women lingering near our table and called them over. He urged one of them to open her handbag, which she complied with. Just moments later, he pulled my phone out from inside and returned it to me.
Overjoyed, I embraced Wayne. He was really angry for me and made sure the women were kicked out of the upscale hotel. As we were leaving, I expressed my gratitude and promised never to say anything negative about him. However, considering some of his actions in the years that followed, I ultimately had to go back on that promise.
Ever since that night, I’ve started calling Wayne, who is now the manager of Championship team Plymouth Argyle, my hero. Whenever someone criticizes him, I can’t help but defend him.
Katie Hind from The Mail shares a story about the gallant Wayne Rooney, who stepped in to help her when her phone was taken.
Now that Coleen has joined the I'm A Celebrity jungle, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who views him as a genuinely good person.
His wild behavior when he’s been drinking has given him a reputation as a bad boy that he can't seem to shake. However, it seems that Coleen's impressive performance in the show is also helping to improve her husband's troubled image.
For those unfamiliar with Wayne's past troubles, they started two decades ago when he was a teenager playing for Everton and was caught visiting a brothel in Liverpool.
In 2009, it came to light that he had participated in a threesome with escorts Jenny Thompson and Helen Wood at the luxury Lowry Hotel in Manchester, all while Coleen was expecting their first child, Kai. They now have four sons: Kai, 14, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six.
Wayne's latest mistake occurred in the summer of 2017, when he was taken into custody for driving the car of Cheshire real estate agent Laura Simpson while he was over the legal alcohol limit. At that time, Coleen was expecting their child, Cass.
However, all of that faded away last weekend when a beaming Wayne, who has been tuning in to watch Coleen on the ITV show each evening since its launch on November 17, took to social media to commend his wife and urged his followers to support her in participating in a Bushtucker trial.
He posted on Instagram: "My friends and I would be thrilled to see her take on a challenge, and we know she’d be eager to prove herself... so let’s start voting!"
Wayne got the response he was looking for: in Saturday's episode, Coleen, 38, earned the most votes to take on the challenge with BBC Radio 1 host Dean McCullough, 32. Amused by his unexpected impact on the public’s decision, Wayne humorously posted on X: "I might be in a bit of trouble here. Best of luck!"
He also featured on the jungle's spin-off program, I’m A Celebrity...Unpacked, where he told host Joel Dommett: "I'd really like to see Coleen take on a challenge; I believe she would excel at it and do an amazing job."
Coleen spending time with her sons - Kit, Kai, Wayne, Klay, and Cass.
"I believe she's demonstrating her warm and compassionate nature, which really shines through. It's wonderful to see how she's fitting in and finding her place over the last few days."
Wayne expressed that he deeply misses his wife of 16 years, mentioning that the last two weeks have felt like the longest time they’ve gone without talking since they first met as 12-year-olds in a housing estate in Croxteth, Liverpool.
He mentioned, "This is the longest period I've gone without talking to her since we were young. It's obviously tough for the kids, not being able to connect with their mom."
Coleen's parents are providing significant support since I'm currently in Plymouth for my job. There’s a great team taking care of the kids and ensuring everything is taken care of. We miss her, but we also love seeing her thrive.
Coleen's Bushtucker challenge was definitely a horrifying experience. She found herself confined in the rear of a van filled with swarms of cockroaches, rats, massive mealworms, and crickets. However, she remained composed and managed to secure nine stars for the camp together with Dean.
It was somewhat expected that once news broke about Coleen heading to Australia – 10,000 miles from their £20 million mansion in Cheshire – social media would buzz with gossip suggesting Wayne might embrace his bachelor days. However, friends of the 39-year-old star claim that these days, he leads a more subdued life in Salcombe, Devon, focusing on work and returning home to Cheshire as quickly as possible.
"Wayne and Coleen have a strong relationship," shared a friend. "He takes great pride in her and is making sure everything runs smoothly while she's away. That's where his attention lies."
Facing the I'm A Celebrity Bushtucker Trial was quite a challenge for Coleen, as she found herself confined in the back of a van alongside a swarm of cockroaches, rats, enormous mealworms, and crickets.
The couple has faced many public challenges and fluctuations in their relationship, with trust being challenged along the way, but they have managed to get through the tough times together.
"Wayne has no distractions; he’s fully focused on his job, being a father, and enjoying Takeaway while watching I'm A Celeb. It might not be what most people envision, but this is the responsible side of Wayne."
Reports suggest that he was upset by the offensive sexual insults directed at his wife by Watford supporters during last Friday's match at Plymouth's Home Park Stadium.
Sources within the football club have expressed their shock, particularly since Wayne has actively participated in community initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable women.
A representative from the club shared that they are collaborating with two charities: Trevi, which offers safe environments for women healing from abuse and violence, and M.A.N: Culture, which creates opportunities for men and boys to engage in open discussions about masculinity and male violence towards women.
"According to a source who knows him well, Wayne is discovering who he truly is as he gets closer to turning 40 next year."
He has always had a hard time dealing with being famous, and it showed in various ways. However, he feels happy now and is excited for Coleen to return home as the queen of the jungle!