Rebekah Vardy axed from Celebrity Big Brother offer after big money deal leak

30 December 2023 , 18:06

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Rebekah Vardy (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Wag Rebekah Vardy was axed from a list of potential Celebrity Big Brother contestants after news of ITV ’s interest leaked.

ITV executives were ready to offer the Wagatha Christie trial star big money but have cooled on the idea for the show, back after six years. A source said: “Bosses were prepared to splash out on signing up Becky in the hope she’d dish all on the Wagatha Christie drama. She was at the top of their lists but since the news leaked they have decided to explore other candidates.”

Rebekah, 41, married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, found herself in a spat with Man United legend Wayne Rooney ’s wife Coleen that ended up in the High Court.

Rebekah Vardy (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Coleen Rooney (PA)

After doing her own detective work in 2019 Coleen, 39, accused Rebekah of selling her private ­ Instagram stories to the media – a claim Rebekah continues to strongly deny. Rebekah sued Coleen for libel in 2020. But in July last year a judge ruled in favout of Coleen – resulting in Rebekah having to pay a substantial amount in legal fees. Names linked to the 2024 reboot of CBB include royal Sarah Ferguson, shamed TV host Phillip Schofield and reality star Katie Price.

Wayne and Coleen Rooney (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Its relaunch on ITV follows the successful revival of the original show Big Brother, which had its biggest viewing figures in over a decade with 3.6 million tuning in. Over the years, the celeb version has attracted the likes of TV hosts Rylan Clark and Michael Barrymore, actress Shilpa Shetty, comedian Les Dennis and reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Kerry Katona. CBB last aired on Channel 5 in 2018, when it was won by former Corrie actor Ryan Thomas.

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