I’m A Celeb is back in full force, with fan favourites already emerging – including WAG Coleen Rooney.
The mum-of-four – who was reportedly paid more than £1.5m to head into the jungle – has delighted viewers with her likeable and easygoing nature, as well as her juicy discussions with camp mates about the infamous ‘Wagatha Christie’ court case that played out two years ago with Rebekah Vardy.
But insiders tell Closer that a different WAG drama could have been at the centre of camp this year, as Lauryn Goodman was actually lined up to be the signature WAG for this year’s show, following her success on Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating over the summer.
The source reveals, ‘Lauryn was on I’m A Celeb!’s radar to be booked after her appearance on Celebs Go Dating – it would have been a dream for her. The CGD viewing figures had tripled and they had a lot more social media and press activity than previously. A lot of people tuned in just to watch Lauryn. Producers can see that Lauryn piques a lot of interest as she is relatable and pulls in the viewing figures. Like her or not, she is controversial and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and her children.
‘The producers had looked at booking her – but because they then successfully managed to sign Coleen, it meant that she was no longer in the mix. ITV said that she unfortunately wouldn’t work with their line-up.’
Both Coleen and Lauryn have been embroiled in WAG drama in recent years. Coleen dominated headlines with her Wagatha Christie scandal – which saw her win a libel case brought against her by Rebekah Vardy, 42, who she had previously accused of leaking stories.
Meanwhile Lauryn, 33, has had a bitter feud with Man City footballer Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner, after it emerged earlier this year that Kyle had secretly fathered a second child with Lauryn.
While her son Kairo, four, was conceived during a break from Annie, 33, her daughter Kinara, one, was not – with the news prompting mum-of-four Annie to file for divorce last month.
And now the source says that while Coleen – who is friends with Annie – and Lauryn won’t be bumping into each other in the jungle, it would likely have been an ‘awkward’ encounter if they had.
The source says, ‘Coleen was none the wiser as her deal had been agreed beforehand – but it probably would have been awkward. No doubt if Coleen and Lauryn were in the jungle together, there would’ve been conversations that viewers would have been eager to hear. Coleen and Annie are pals, so it would have been uncomfortable. And Coleen is less trusting after the Rebekah ordeal and tends to keep people at arm’s length.’
No doubt Annie is relieved Lauryn won’t be on screen in I’m A Celeb!, but she may be nervous about future projects Lauryn may be offered – as the star was rumoured to be appearing in a new WAG-themed reality show earlier this year.
The insider adds, ‘Annie doesn’t want Lauryn doing any more TV, and she was glad when the rumoured WAG series fell through. However, it doesn’t look like this is the end of Lauryn’s TV career yet – and it’s hard to imagine that’s something that Annie would be happy to hear.’