Channel 4 releases first look at new Wagatha Christie court drama

The first images of a two-part film exploring the ‘Wagatha Christie’ legal battle have been released by Channel 4.

Bafta-winning This Is England actress Chanel Cresswell is pictured as Coleen Rooney, sitting in court, in a first look at Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama.

Meanwhile Natalia Tena - best known for playing Nymphadora Tonks in Harry Potter - is seen in dark glasses surrounded by reporters, as she takes on the role of Rebekah Vardy.

Good Omens actor Michael Sheen will play Rooney’s barrister David Sherborne, whose previous clients include Diana, Princess of Wales, and Johnny Depp; alongside Simon Coury as Vardy’s barrister, Hugh Tomlinson QC.

The two-parter also sees Dion Lloyd play former Manchester United midfielder Wayne Rooney and Marton Nagyszokolyai take the role of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy. Both footballers also played for England.

Channel 4 said its film “recreates the high drama, high stakes High Court defamation case” based on transcripts from the court proceedings.

It also imagines the “huge impact on the lives of the two women at its heart”, as it follows the characters both in and out of court.

Dubbed the #WagathaChristie case when it first unfolded on social media in 2019, the audacious case made headlines around the world, while the trial gripped the nation this summer.

It saw Vardy, 40, lose a libel battle against 36-year-old Rooney over a viral social media post after a High Court judge found its contents to be “substantially true”.

In the post, which went viral in October 2019, Rooney said she had carried out a months-long “sting operation” and accused Vardy of leaking “false stories” about her private life to the press.

Her sleuthing efforts saw her dubbed ‘Wagatha Christie’ in reference to the popular mystery writer Agatha Christie and the term ‘wags’, used to refer to wives and girlfriends of sports people.

The high-profile court case is also being turned into a West End play with stage actress Lucy May Barker playing Vardy while Laura Dos Santos, who has appeared in Doctor Who, will play Rooney.

In August, Disney+ confirmed it is creating a three-part documentary series about the court battle with “exclusive access” to Rooney.

Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial is running at Wyndham’s Theatre until January 10.

Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama is set to air on Channel 4 in December.

A short clip of the show will also be available on Monday.