Rooney poised to join Im a Celeb 2026

Wayne Rooney is poised to join I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2026, according to reports about this year’s jungle line-up — and Paddy Power has already priced him at 5/2 to win.

The former Manchester United, Everton and England striker is among the names linked with the series in reports covered by Metro and the Manchester Evening News. ITV has yet to announce his participation: a spokesperson told Metro that the names were “just speculation”.

Rooney would follow his wife Coleen, who finished runner-up in 2024. When asked about the rumours on This Morning in September, he said viewers would have to wait and see.

I’m A Celebrity 2026 ‘confirmed’ line-up including Wayne Rooney and Leigh Francis

— Metro (@MetroUK) November 2, 2026

Here are the odds

Paddy Power’s post at 2.34pm on 2 November showed these odds for the 2026 series winner:

• Wayne Rooney — 5/2
• Sharky — 6/1
• Chloe Burrows — 6/1

These are the prices shown in the bookmaker’s post and are subject to change. They concern winning the series, rather than confirmation of a place in camp.

Will Wayne Rooney be crowned King of the Jungle? 🐛
18+ GambleAware

— Paddy Power (@paddypower) November 2, 2026

Fans react to the Rooney reports

The prospect of Rooney heading Down Under has already prompted football jokes and predictions about the audience he could attract.

@neptuniann__: “Going on I’m a celebrity to avoid the @ManUtd job. Very clever, Wayne Rooney.”

@jack_w_cfc: “Wayne Rooney on I’m A Celebrity is going to do serious numbers 😂.”

Who else has been linked?

Other reported names include Leigh Francis, Joanna Page, AJ Odudu, Ricky Wilson, Ade Adepitan, Sharky, Chloe Burrows, Mariella Frostrup, Leomie Anderson, Claire Sweeney and Jack Skipper.

Metro’s report says the series returns on 16 November. For now, the proposed line-up remains a media report, with ITV describing the names as speculation.