Entertainment
Wagatha Christie – First images released of Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama
The first images of a two-part film exploring the Wagatha Christie legal battle have been released by Channel 4.
Bafta-winning This Is England actress Chanel Cresswell is pictured as Coleen Rooney, sitting in court, in the first look at Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama.
Natalia Tena known as Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter, plays Rebekah Vardy, and is seen wearing dark sunglasses and surrounded by reporters.
Chanel Cresswell as Coleen Rooney. Pic: Channel 4
Channel 4 said its film, which is set to air in December, “recreates the high drama, high stakes High Court defamation case” based on the court transcripts.
It also imagines the “huge impact on the lives of the two women at its heart”.
As for Rooney and Vardy’s husbands, Dion Lloyd plays the former Manchester United midfielder, while Marton Nagyszokolyai takes the role of current Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.
Tena and Marton Nagyszokolyai. Pic: Channel 4
Dion Lloyd and Cresswell. Pic: Channel 4
Dubbed the #WagathaChristie case when it first unfolded on social media in 2019, the case made headlines around the world.
In the trial this summer, Vardy, 40, lost a libel battle against Rooney, 36, over a social media post after a High Court judge found it was “substantially true”.
Pic: Channel 4
In the post, which went viral in October 2019, Rooney said she had carried out a months-long “sting operation” and accused Vardy of leaking “false stories” about her private life to the press.
Her investigatory efforts saw her dubbed ‘Wagatha Christie’ in reference to the popular mystery writer Agatha Christie and the term referring to sports people’s wives and girlfriends (Wags).
Pic: Channel 4
In October, a judge ruled that Vardy must pay 90% of Rooney’s legal costs following their libel trial – and the bill could reach about £1.5m.
Read more:
Rebekah Vardy in first interview since losing libel trial
What the Wagatha Christie ruling means for you and social media posts
‘Very sad’ Jamie Vardy and Wayne Rooney are ‘no longer friends’
The real Rebekah Vardy pictured outside court in May
In August, Disney+ confirmed it is creating a three-part documentary series about the court battle with “exclusive access” to Rooney.
The high-profile court case is also being turned into a West End play.
A short clip of the Channel 4 show will be available on Monday.