Rebekah Vardy lodges High Court defamation case against Coleen Rooney in ‘Wagatha Christie’ leaks bust-up

Rebekah Vardy has launched a High Court libel action against fellow WAG Coleen Rooney over the notorious ‘Wagatha Christie’ bust-up.

The footballers’ wives fell out in spectacular fashion last October when Ms Rooney posted an Instagram accusation about stories being leaked to The Sun newspaper.

Ms Rooney, wife of England record goalscorer Wayne, said she posted a string of fake updates about her life in a bid to flush out the culprit, concluding: “It’s……… Rebekah Vardy’s account.”

But Ms Vardy, who is married to England and Leicester striker Jamie, furiously hit back at her former friend, insisting: “I’m disgusted I’m even having to deny this.”

After private mediation failed to defuse the simmering row, Ms Vardy has now filed a defamation case at the High Court against her fellow WAG.

A source told the Sun Ms Vardy is “deadly serious about clearing her name and wants a full public apology”.

The two women were good friends before the public falling out, and were regularly seen together while supporting their husbands at England matches.

Ms Rooney, 34, earned the ‘Wagatha Christie’ tag after her bombshell post on Instagram, setting out how she had tried to find out the source of leaks to the media.

“For a few years now someone who I trusted to follow me on my personal Instagram account has been consistently informing The Sun newspaper of my private posts and stories”, she claimed.

“There has been so much information given to them about me, my friends and my family – all without my permission or knowledge.

“After a long time of trying to figure out who it could be, for various reasons, I had a suspicion. To try and prove this, I came up with an idea, I blocked everyone from viewing Instagram except ONE account.”

Ms Rooney said she posted fake stories about herself and her family, including going to Mexico for “gender selection” in a bid to have a baby girl and a basement flood in their new home.

“It’s been tough keeping it to myself and not making any comment at all, especially when the stories have been leaked, however I had to. Now I know for certain which account/individual it’s come from”, she concluded.

“I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them. It’s……… Rebekah Vardy’s account.”

Ms Vardy, 38, who was heavily pregnant with her fifth child at the time, hit back by insisting she had never leaked stories about her friend to the media.

“If you thought this was happening you could have told me and I could have changed my passwords to see if it stopped”, she said, in an Instagram reply to Ms Rooney.

“Over the years various people have had access to my insta & just this week I found I was following people I didn’t know and have never followed myself.

“I’m not being funny but I don’t need the money, what would I gain from selling stories on you?

“I liked you a lot Coleen & I’m so upset that you have chosen to do this, especially when I’m heavily pregnant.

“I’m disgusted that I’m even having to deny this. You should have called me the first time this happened.”

No details of the defamation case, lodged in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court by Ms Vardy’s lawyers Kingsley Napley, are publicly available. She will be required to file detailed reasons for her claim, and Ms Rooney, being represented by the law firm Brabners, will then have the option of filing a defence to the case.

If taken to trial, it is unlikely to be heard before next year.

Lawyers representing Ms Vardy and Ms Rooney have been contacted for comment.