Coleen Rooney: What Was Really Happening Behind The Headlines
We Need To Talk with Paul C. Brunson
Coleen Rooney reflects on her transition from a private teenager to a global figure due to her marriage to Wayne Rooney. She discusses the i
Key takeaways
- Coleen Rooney describes the Wagatha Christie case as one of the most difficult periods of her life due to the loss of trust.
- The term 'WAG' gained widespread recognition during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Main topics
- Wagatha Christie legal case
- Life in the public eye
Notable quotes
I am not just some robot in the public eye.
Conclusion
A profound exploration of how fame can erode personal identity and the
Transcript preview
Speaker 1 (0:00) Someone in your circle was disclosing private information. Speaker 3 (0:03) Having the world looking on, it was probably the worst time of my life. Speaker 1 (0:08) And then Rebecca Vardy sues you. Since the case, has she reached out to you? Speaker 3 (0:14) Actually, people would always say she's only in the public eye because of Wayne. I own that. And now I look back and think, I've made the most of it. You're Speaker 1 (0:24) Colleen Bruni. Yeah. Speaker 3 (0:26) He was always after me. And then I thought, I'll give him that date that he's wanted for all of time. Speaker 1 (0:32) Really? Yeah, Speaker 3 (0:33) yeah. Speaker 1 (0:33) You were relentlessly there for the people you love. Speaker 3 (0:37) That's me being strong for him. And in the moments, it then makes me think he wouldn't be where he is if it wasn't for me. Speaker 1 (0:45) What do you believe the public need to know about your marriage? Speaker 3 (0:49) You know, I've not had a plain sailing marriage. There has been times in my life where I think, is this working? Speaker 1 (0:56) Really? I Speaker 3 (0:57) am not just some robot in the public eye and you can write anything you want about me. I'm a daughter, I'm a sister, I'm someone's fiance. I Speaker 1 (1:09) would imagine it impacts family. Speaker 3 (1:10) Oh, 100%. What they've gone through has been terrible. Speaker 1 (1:17) I have something to show you. I Speaker 3 (1:19) am getting like a little bit emotional here. Speaker 1 (1:25) Look, pause with me for just a second. Now, whether you've been with us every single week since day one or you just drop in when a guest catches your eye, I see you. I truly appreciate you. Every comment, every share, every time you show up, it matters. We're building a really special community here. If you want to support what we're doing without spending a penny, please take a second and hit the follow button. It costs nothing, but it signals to the world that these conversations matter. Thank you for being on this journey with us. Now, let's get started. Can we talk about just Liverpool for a second? Speaker 2 (2:06) Yeah. All Speaker 1 (2:07) right. So I have visited Liverpool twice. And the first time I got there, it was hard for me because I couldn't understand what anybody was Speaker 3 (2:18) saying. When we go on holiday, my dad, he's got a strong Scouse accent. people just laugh at him. Like, not laugh at him, they laugh with him because he's very warm. Like, he just laughs at anything he says. So they just laugh along, but at the end of it, they go, we haven't got a clue what you have just said, but we're just laughing with you. But yeah, Scouse, they do have a strong accent. Speaker 1 (2:44) Yes, yes. And by the time I could figure it out, right, what I realised was how much, it felt like how much joy there was. I was shocked at how many live music venues there were in Liverpool, how just charismatic Liverpudlian Liverpudlians are. But how would you characterize Liverpool? I Speaker 3 (3:06) would say it's very welcoming, very warm. We look after our own. We look after each other. And we protect each other in a way that, you know, we are very welcoming. But if you do one thing wrong, we'd stand up for that person. I think we've got a good sense of humor and they're just easy going. The Speaker 1 (3:32) city being characterized as that, fun, loving, welcoming. How do you believe that impacts you as a little girl? Speaker 3 (3:41) For me, obviously the core of it was my parents and they... were from strong families. My mum's one of eight, my dad's one of five. We had a really big family, loads of cousins and a very open house. So my childhood house was the house that my mum grew up in. So every Saturday, the house would be filled because that was the hub of the family. So all my aunties and uncles and my cousins would come. My mum would make a chilli or do scones. And, you know, it was a real loving household. And don't get me wrong, you know, sometimes there was. you know, kids were fighting and just like any normal house. But I, you know, I loved that. But as we got older, obviously families grow and people have their own families. And I don't see people like family as much as I would like to now, but if life's busy and we do try and make time for each other, but obviously my family now is me, Wayne, the kids and our, you know, our... Brothers sisters and parents. Yes. Speaker 1 (4:43) Yes. So calling through the course of this conversation. I have lots of things that I want to show you Yeah, okay, so I want to show you the first one. Okay. Okay, you ready for this? Yep Speaker 3 (4:51) Okay, Speaker 1 (4:52) I want you to take a look at this and I want you to tell me what was going on in it But but what are your feelings when you see it? Speaker 3 (5:02) So this obviously is me as a baby and my mum and dad. And straight away, what I get from this is how happy they are. My mum lost her mum when she was 16. Speaker 1 (5:17) So Speaker 3 (5:17) it was, I think she, even though she had that motherly instinct in her, no matter what, I think that was her way of having her family. And she met my dad when she was 16. They married when they were 18 and wanted to start a family straight away, but it never happened. So they longed for this moment for so long. Speaker 1 (5:42) So for seven years, your mother tried. Yeah. You know what's so reminiscent to me about that is that is roughly how long. Hold on to that. Thank you. That is roughly how long my wife and I tried. Speaker 3 (5:55) Okay. Speaker 1 (5:56) And my wife was on fertility drugs. Yeah. And. So we tried for eight years to have our child. And then finally, you know, we get Kingston. And I do think that we felt differently as parents as a result of attempting for so long. So how do you believe that your mother and maybe father then parented you differently? Speaker 3 (6:23) So me coming into the world, my dad... thank God and he that was his way of you know he went when my mum was going through all that treatment he went on you know to to Fatima to a pilgrimage he'd done you know he prayed a lot and that's my middle name is Mary from Our Lady um so that was the that was my dad's you know he had a lot of faith me coming into the world has not changed their way of how they would would bring a child up because they've had their morals in them and that they, you know, I just think it's give them more of a bigger outlook on life and what they want to do. So that is the reason why they started fostering and helping others and wanting to give their time to other people because they... wanted to give something back. Speaker 1 (7:14) What was the conversation that happened in your household around fostering? And then what was your outlook? Speaker 3 (7:21) Our house was always a busy house. So when my mum and dad sat us down and they said, listen, we've been thinking we would like to do respite care. So at the beginning, it was respite. So we would have children come to our house a weekend, once a month. Once they got onto that ladder, they asked. My mum and dad, would they like to go into short-term fostering? Speaker 1 (7:44) Okay. Speaker 3 (7:45) So again, they had the conversation with us. And obviously, the children would come and stay for small periods of time. At the beginning, it was newborn babies. Oh, Speaker 1 (7:55) wow. Speaker 3 (7:55) Two girls and a boy. And the boy, he stayed for a bit longer than the girls. because of the placement that he was going to. And we still see him to this day. He's 18. He's part of the family. And what was lovely was his parents asked my mum and dad, would they be open for him to keep in touch over the years? And they were like, we would love to. And now he looks after our children. He babysits for my brother's kids. He is part of our family. That's incredible. Speaker 1 (8:31) That's incredible. What were the economic circumstances growing up? Speaker 3 (8:36) Yeah, so my dad was a bricklayer and my mum was a nationist. But then when she had me, as a couple, they took the decision that my mum was going to be a full-time mum. They've always, I would say, obviously they didn't have a lot, but they've always been givers as well. And I always remember my dad sitting down on a Friday evening after work and he would go through his list of what was going in and what was coming out. And there would be about a list of charities on the bank statement. And it would be £2, £2, £2. So it was bought, he always... gave to others, even though we didn't, you know, a lot of people today would say, I haven't got that to give, but he made it in his plot, you know, I'm going to give that, no matter how little it is, it's making a difference somewhere. Speaker 1 (9:32) Can I show you another photo? Yeah. All right. Sometimes people don't like their photos. Speaker 3 (9:37) I'm excited, but then at the same time, I'm a bit like, oh. Speaker 1 (9:40) All right. Speaker 3 (9:44) So this is me at seven making my first Holy Communion. I think the first thing that comes into mind is the dress. I've always loved, you know, clothes and as a child I wasn't really into toys and dolls. I just wanted a new dress or, you know, new shoes, hair, accessories. And I just remember the excitement of going... shopping for my first Holy Communion dress. Now when I think about it, it's probably like a mini wedding, you know, like when I think, I went to pick my wedding dress with my mum and my nan and my auntie, whereas it was the same with my Communion dress. But no, it's, I think it's a lovely time in... you know, life where you're young, you're innocent, you are excited for these big milestones. And, you know, so that was a big thing, going to a Catholic school. So at this point, I wanted to be a teacher. Speaker 2 (10:42) Okay. Speaker 3 (10:43) A children, you know, an infant school teacher. But I think that was because... My teacher at the time was a big influence on me. I really loved being in her company and loved the way she was with, you know, the children. And obviously it's probably part of me, mum as well, you know, working with children and having that love for children. But, yeah. Speaker 1 (11:06) If you could go back. have a conversation with Colleen right there in that moment and give her advice on the life that she's about to live, what would you tell her? Speaker 3 (11:18) Just the things you would say, you know, be confident, do you, and don't be afraid. Speaker 1 (11:26) Fair enough. Yeah. Fair enough. I love it. I love it. Can you think of a moment that was trying for you? That was a challenge. Speaker 3 (11:37) So there's been times, especially, you know, the press, when I started, I was 16, when I was first photographed and put in a newspaper. And there was times which now I don't, you know, I don't regret, but I did react in the moment and was annoyed. So I rang newspapers and, you know, I got in touch with... the journalist that wrote the article and I've just gone on the phone and said and I don't think that's wrong but would I do that now maybe I would stop and think about it first and and then either react or you know it's gone by and I thought it's stored in my mind so if I come into contact with maybe I might say something then um Speaker 3 (12:28) But other than that, I think I was quite a good teenager. That's good. And Speaker 1 (12:35) actually, I would have expected that you were a good teenager. Like, didn't get into trouble? Speaker 3 (12:44) No, I was good. Wayne always says, yeah, I was a goody two shoes. Speaker 1 (12:48) Were you confident? Speaker 3 (12:49) Yeah, I was confident as a child. But I would say... Once I, I do think that confidence never got knocked, but I wasn't as confident as I was growing up once I got into public high. I think it struck me a bit. I think the core of it was, for years and years, people would always say... oh, she's only in the public eye because of Wayne. I own that. I was only, I am. But like, to this day, no, I don't believe now I'm only in the public eye because of Wayne at this point in my life. But from the start of it, I was. And there's nothing wrong with that. And, you know, I got brought into it. I didn't put myself in the public eye. And now I look back and think I've made the most of it. Speaker 1 (13:44) It begins with, as you said, it was your relationship with Wayne Rooney that brought you into the public eye. So how old were you? Was it 12 years old when you two met? So Speaker 3 (13:56) we knew each other. Our families knew each other. We grew up together. My dad ran the local boxing gym with Wayne's uncle. We first started to get to know each other. because of our groups of friends, when I would say around 12. Speaker 2 (14:11) And Speaker 3 (14:12) we would actually communicate and chat to each other. But not in a... He was always after me. He always wanted to date. Since he was 12? Yeah, yeah. He always says he knew I was the one. But I was a busy... Obviously, he was busy with football and stuff. But I didn't go out. and hang around on the streets as much because I would go to dance, I would go to drama, I would do my homework. I used to hang around outside my school. So we went to the all boys Catholic school, I went to the all girls and they were literally around the corner from each other. So we would hang around with a group of lads and wolf whistle as we come out and shout, gives a date. And in the summer we wore pale lemon blouses. So they would have water guns outside school because once the blouse was wet, you could see through it, Speaker 2 (15:10) which is wrong Speaker 3 (15:12) now, but going back all them years ago, Speaker 2 (15:14) it Speaker 3 (15:14) was like, that's what they'd done. But I found them. Funny charming, but yeah, he was he was a a typical boy, you know, you got into mischief and and Probably stayed stays out later some nights than he should have and his mom used to be calling him in and But yeah, we we got together when we were 16. Speaker 1 (15:38) Okay I'd just finished Speaker 3 (15:39) my GCSEs and then I thought, I'll give him that date that he's wanted for all that. Speaker 1 (15:45) Really? Yeah, yeah. All right, so now help me with this because from what I can see is that the moment that he saw you, he was in. Speaker 3 (15:55) Yeah. Speaker 1 (15:56) The moment you saw him, you were not necessarily in. Speaker 3 (15:59) No. Right. Speaker 1 (16:00) So what was the moment that you became in? Speaker 3 (16:04) Once I'd come in, he would... stay outside our house and talk and I think that won me over actually getting to know him a bit more but then I found him funny I think his humour won me over his cheekiness being Speaker 3 (16:25) really confident as well. Speaker 2 (16:27) You Speaker 3 (16:27) know, he wasn't asking his friends, say, go and ask Alfred. He just asked me. And, yeah, he was a character. Speaker 1 (16:38) What was the first date? Speaker 3 (16:40) So we went to the cinema. I was a bit nervous because he was nervous, like my family knew him. And I knew that I probably couldn't hide. That the fact I was going on it on a date because I'd have to walk down Meet him in my room, you know I knew that me mom and dad was not that there was anything wrong and I was 16 I could go on a date but I was a respect and Also, probably so I could own it myself. So no one else would tell my parents before me I actually asked could I go on the date? Oh Speaker 1 (17:16) my god, which Speaker 3 (17:18) now I don't think a lot like 16 year old would ever ask i was going to cinema i wasn't even going to like a bar or anything right Speaker 2 (17:26) so Speaker 3 (17:27) i said um can i go to the cinema with ween and my dad said yeah as long as he sits on the back row and you sit on the front row oh really but he was laughing okay yeah so we went to cinema we actually went with another couple who we were friends with And we went to McDonald's on the way back and then walked home and that was it. All Speaker 1 (17:49) right. So after that first date. Speaker 3 (17:51) It's funny now because 16-year-olds seem a lot more older and are doing a lot more mature things than going to the cinema and going to McDonald's. Speaker 1 (17:59) Aren't they? Yeah. Aren't they? Aren't they? So then after that first date, what's your thought and impression? Speaker 3 (18:06) I think because he was so open and he was so... out there like he would just say it as it is i actually knew a lot a lot about him before i went on on the date yes Speaker 1 (18:18) so Speaker 3 (18:18) it wasn't like i got to know but it was probably that intimate space that i thought do you know i actually quite like this and i'm gonna get have another date yeah okay Speaker 1 (18:27) yes Speaker 3 (18:28) all Speaker 1 (18:29) right so now what i find interesting is i have a you know i have lots of friends because i'm british Colleen, I'm British. Speaker 3 (18:36) Good, I like to hear that. You Speaker 1 (18:37) know, I did my life in the UK test. Speaker 3 (18:40) Oh, did you? I'm official. Oh, great. I can vote here and everything Speaker 1 (18:43) right now. And it was interesting because I was talking to some friends of mine and I told them that you were coming in. And you know what? Immediately, the first thing that came to mind was this photo. This Speaker 3 (18:56) photo, yeah. Speaker 1 (18:56) They remember this photo. Yeah. So what was happening exactly right before? this photo. Speaker 3 (19:05) I... was our home and Wayne actually called to the house that morning. Speaker 1 (19:12) Okay. Speaker 3 (19:12) So I think this is the whole reason why this photograph took place. Okay. So he had left some headphones at my house, but he was going away for football. So he called to the house that morning and collected the headphones and went. So I think the pap has followed him from... his house to my house and then just stayed and thought let's obviously they must have been took because at the time the press was so intrusive they knew everything about it they would dig deep i left the house didn't see anyone i used to walk up this one road to school and at the top of the road there was um there used to be blocks of flats and in the lay-by there was a car and as I'm coming closer, he had his car bonnet up, but above the bonnet, there was a camera. So obviously Wayne had been photographed by paparazzi before, but not, he wasn't, not in my company. And, you know, I'd seen it in the press or I just automatically knew that it was probably a... paparazzi and Speaker 2 (20:29) I Speaker 3 (20:29) mentioned it to a few of the girls in the common room and that travels and got back to a teacher so the teacher was like I think you best phone your parents and just say you know a man should it's not really right that a man's hanging around taking photographs we didn't go into panic you know we just said let's see what comes of it and we carried on with it and then that weekend I remember my nan used to phone Every morning. And she said, my nan owns a pub in Liverpool, my nan and granddad. And she was like, we used to call it the News of the World because she used to tell us everything, like what was going on. Because obviously in the pub, a lot of things happened. A lot of stories got told and a lot of gossip got spread. So she phoned this morning and she was like, ah, Colleen's all over the papers. She used to get the papers delivered to the pub for the people that went in there. We lived next door to a newsagent. So we went in. and we bought the paper. There it was. That exact photo. That Speaker 1 (21:30) exact Speaker 3 (21:30) photograph. And it was quite big. Speaker 3 (21:34) And then that was the start of it. After that, a lot more. And I always remember one day going in to the newsagents, not knowing that there was any, because there was no social media then. There was no, so you would have to see, you know, in person.