Key Highlights:
- Nicky Butt revealed that Wayne Rooney plans to smuggle white pepper in his waistband onto I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.
- Former teammates Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt joked that the intense camp conditions could easily make the former Manchester United star “snap.”
- Wayne Rooney is reportedly the highest earner of this year’s lineup, receiving £800,000 to participate in the reality series.
Former Manchester United and England football icon Wayne Rooney is reportedly planning to break one of the strictest regulations on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! ahead of his stint Down Under. Close friends and former teammates Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes revealed details of his preparations, suggesting that the 41-year-old father of four intends to sneak contraband food seasoning into the camp to avoid enduring the notoriously bland jungle diet.
Speaking on an episode of the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football alongside host Paddy McGuinness and This City Is Ours actor James Nelson-Joyce, Nicky Butt exposed Rooney’s covert plot. According to Butt, the footballer intends to conceal seasoning on his person as he enters the jungle environment, despite strict prohibitions enforced by the production crew.
The Contraband Scheme: Wayne Rooney’s White Pepper Plan
Smuggling items into the jungle camp has been attempted by numerous contestants over the years, frequently leading to harsh group penalties when discovered by producers. According to Nicky Butt, Rooney has decided on a specific condiment to smuggle into camp.
Nicky Butt explained: “I was saying to him, ‘What are you going to take in?’ He said, ‘White pepper – I’m going to put it in my [waist] band, I’m going to tip it out like that’. I thought, you’re going to get caught.”
Alongside his seasoning plans, Rooney has been physically and mentally bracing for the harsh realities of jungle living. Paddy McGuinness noted that Rooney has been ‘hammering the training’
and appeared ‘ripped’
for the cameras. Meanwhile, Nelson-Joyce revealed that the former football star has already ‘cut the coffee out’
over recent weeks to eliminate caffeine dependence before facing limited rations.
Fears of Clashing Personalities in the Jungle
While Butt and Scholes believe Rooney has what it takes to thrive—with Butt even noting the Match of the Day pundit ‘could win it’
—they humorously warned that the deprivation of sleep, insects, and scarce food could push him to his limits. Butt admitted: “He’s ready to snap…I just want to see him flip. I want to see him snap in the jungle.”
Scholes shared similar sentiments, forecasting that Rooney could find himself at the center of chaotic and entertaining scenes, humorously suggesting he could ‘flip his lid’
and warning, “He could bang someone.”
The panel also speculated on which campmates might test Rooney’s patience. When McGuinness mentioned rumors of comedian Leigh Francis, best known as Keith Lemon, joining the cast, Nelson-Joyce suggested Francis ‘could get on Wayne’s t*ts’
, explaining, “Because he’s funny, he’s loud, he’s in his ear…”
Scholes concurred, noting that he ‘could imagine’
Francis getting under Rooney’s skin.
Following in Coleen Rooney’s Footsteps
Wayne Rooney is reported to be the biggest earner of this year’s cast, securing a reported £800,000 fee. He is set to appear alongside contestants including Gavin and Stacey actress Joanna Page, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, and supermodel Leomie Anderson.
He is not the first in his household to take on the challenge. His wife, Coleen Rooney, competed in the 2024 series, successfully navigating trials to secure a place in the final. Despite any advice received at home, Rooney admitted he faces genuine apprehensions regarding standard jungle challenges.
Discussing what he’s most concerned about heading into the competition, Rooney said: “Jumping out of a helicopter is a big fear. But I hope I do that, because then I will have conquered that fear.”
He continued: “Snakes? I don’t like them, if I’m honest, and I think I am ok with spiders, but they are a lot bigger and scarier there. “I will try everything if there is an eating trial. It’s about embracing everything.”
Why This Matters
ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! heavily restricts what campmates are permitted to carry into camp, limiting items strictly to basic essentials to maintain the survivalist nature of the show. Over the show’s history, campmates caught smuggling luxury items such as salt, pepper, or stock cubes have routinely triggered collective punishments, ranging from lost meal stars to the confiscation of luxury personal items. With Rooney commanding an £800,000 appearance fee, viewers will be watching closely to see whether production catches his alleged white pepper scheme or if it leads to early friction among his fellow campmates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rule does Wayne Rooney plan to break on I’m A Celebrity?
According to his former teammate Nicky Butt, Wayne Rooney plans to smuggle white pepper into the camp by hiding it inside the waistband of his trousers to flavor his meals.
How much is Wayne Rooney being paid for I’m A Celebrity?
Wayne Rooney is reportedly the highest-earning contestant of this year’s series, securing an estimated £800,000 for his jungle stint.
Who else is joining Wayne Rooney on the show?
Among the confirmed and reported celebrities joining Rooney in Australia are Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, and model Leomie Anderson, with rumors also linking comedian Leigh Francis to the lineup.
