Wayne Rooney was spotted at Manchester Airport on Sunday before boarding a flight to Australia, where he is due to join the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The former England captain, 41, is expected to enter the jungle alongside Chloe Burrows, Leigh Francis and Joanna Page when the latest series begins on November 16.
Dressed in an understated all-black outfit, Rooney kept a low profile as he made his way through the terminal ahead of the long journey.
He was accompanied by his manager, Paul Stretford, amid claims that the football star will be the show’s highest-paid contestant.
Rooney’s departure comes as reports suggest he has already formed a friendship with Love Island star Chloe Burrows before their jungle adventure begins.
The Manchester United legend and reality television personality reportedly became close after playing together in the charity football match Soccer Aid.
Wayne Rooney was pictured at Manchester Airport on Sunday ahead of his flight to Australia for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The former England star, 41, is expected to join Chloe Burrows, Leigh Francis and Joanna Page in the jungle
Rooney opted for a discreet all-black look before setting off on his long-haul journey
A source close to the influencer told the MoS: ‘Chloe and Wayne first bonded over their I’m A Celebrity casting in May, when they played together in Soccer Aid.
‘Discussions about the programme were already well advanced by then, so they both knew they would be heading into the jungle. They were on the same team and clicked straight away.
‘It is lovely that they already have that connection before going in. They caught up about how they were each feeling about the show, and it will be interesting to see their friendship develop further once they are in camp.’
During the charity match in Stratford, Burrows posed for a selfie with the former England captain and captioned the image: ‘What an amazing experience.’
Show bosses are reportedly paying Rooney more than his wife Coleen, who earned a record £1.5million for her appearance in the jungle two years ago.
Rooney revealed last year that he would be open to taking part in I’m A Celebrity.
He said: ‘[I’m A Celebrity] is something I would never say no to. I think I said on the aftershow, when Coleen was in the jungle, that it was the programme we had always watched and the one we both said we would do if the opportunity came up.
‘So you never know in the future, although I have other things I am looking at at the minute.’
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Rooney arrived at the airport early on Sunday morning
The former footballer appeared to be in high spirits as he was greeted at the airport
The new series of I’m A Celeb begins on November 16
He follows his wife Coleen, who finished in second place in 2024
Rooney is reportedly the highest-paid star in this year’s cast
The football star travelled with his manager, Paul Stretford
Reports claim Rooney has been offered more than Coleen, who received a record £1.5million for her jungle appearance two years ago
Rooney is said to have already struck up a friendship with Love Island star Chloe Burrows
Wayne and Coleen have remained in the spotlight following the release of their fly-on-the-wall documentary, The Real Rooneys, last month.
The £10million series, filmed last year, offers viewers an intimate glimpse into the couple’s family life with their sons Kai, 16, Klay, 13, Kit, ten, and Cass, eight.
The former footballer has also attracted attention for his dramatically refreshed appearance in recent photographs.
In recent months, Rooney has undergone a noticeable transformation that includes a nose operation, weight loss and Invisalign treatment to improve his smile.
When asked about the reason for his slimmer figure, Rooney said: ‘Apparently, I have recently been accused of taking that pen thing, Ozempic.
‘It is a shame, because I have been working really hard to lose weight. Apparently, I have been on the pen.’
The couple also discussed Rooney’s recent nose surgery, prompting Coleen to clarify: ‘I thought you were going to say my nose wasn’t a cosmetic job, it was a medical job!’
Rooney explained that Coleen had encouraged him to have the procedure after he broke his nose while playing for DC United.
Coleen said: ‘I tried to get him to do it because of his snoring,’ while Rooney added: ‘I couldn’t breathe through one side of my nose, so I had it fixed.’
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