Rebekah Vardy has admitted she regularly stages paparazzi photos of herself, as she took to the witness stand for the third time in the Wagatha Christie trial.
The 40-year-old is suing Coleen Rooney for libel, after she publicly accused her of leaking “false stories” about her private life in 2019.
As the trial resumed in London’s High Court this morning, texts between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt were read out.
In the messages, which were from the time of the World Cup in Russia in 2018, the pair discussed organising a photographer for the night Rebekah was going for dinner with other WAGs.
Rebekah told the court that the photographer was arranged for her and not for the group and that she did not give the photographer the location for the restaurant.
The model said she was happy to be photographed leaving the hotel, and also admitted she frequently arranged for “staged” photos.
Coleen’s lawyer David Sherborne told the court that during the exchange, Rebekah texted her agent to let her know about travel arrangements from the hotel to the restaurant, with the plans changing from walking to driving.
He said that if the photographer had just been arranged for Rebekah, he or she wouldn’t have needed to know how they were getting to the restaurant.
Rebekah told the court she could not recall the conversation with Caroline that well, and that she thought there were several cars to take the women to the dinner.
In one message, Rebekah’s agent said that “hopefully” the photographer would “catch you all”.
Mr Sherborne then told the court that Rebekah messaged Caroline to say she couldn’t see the photographer.
Rebekah also sent a message saying “f***” and that she’d “made everyone go outside for a pic and the pap was there”.
Mr Sherborne told the court that Rebekah was worried it would look like she had set it up, but Rebekah insisted that was not her intention.
Coleen’s lawyer then claimed that the other women found out about the paparazzi, and “they don’t like it” so wanted to put up their own photos online.
He told the court that Rebekah was trying to buy time to stop anyone putting photos on Instagram before the paparazzi shots could be sent for an exclusive.
Rebekah told the court she does not remember that much about the day as she had been drinking.
Mr Sherborne then referred to Rebekah’s witness statement submitted to the court.
She wrote: “Whilst I don’t remember arranging the photographer, what I do remember is that when we got to the restaurant another member of the group, Annie Kilner, suggested that we go outside for a photograph.”
Coleen’s lawyer said Rebekah “forced” the women outside for the photo, and she said she doesn’t think anyone could have forced them.
More of her witness statement was read out in the court, which read: “I note that I say to Caroline in the WhatsApp messages that it was me who made everyone go outside for the photograph, but I do not remember it that way, and in reality it might have been that I simply encouraged who ever had first suggested it so took part of the blame when two photographers jumped out of the bushes and took photographs of the group lined up.”
“I was immediately worried because I thought that it looked like it was me who had set up the photograph and I said this to Caroline. However, I did not know who these photographers were…”
“The WhatsApp messages show that Caroline was in touch with [photo agency] Splash who had already obtained the photograph and she asked that I see whether I could hold off from posting it, and identify the group.”
After more questioning, Rebekah said again it is “not true” that she set up a paparazzi photographer to take pictures of the group.
Rebekah launched her libel suit against Coleen back in 2020, after she accused her of leaking stories to the press.
In October 2019, the wife of Wayne Rooney claimed she planted false information on her private Instagram page and blocked everyone from her story – except Rebekah’s account.
The mother-of-four said stories about her basement flooding, returning to TV, and gender selection were only viewed by Rebekah’s account – and the false stories all made it into the press.
Coleen believed this was proof that the fellow WAG allegedly sold stories about her private life, but Rebekah has vehemently denied her claims – and is now suing her for libel.
