Rebekah Vardy ‘embarassed’ to be called ‘unofficial leader of the Wags’, court hears
Model denies feeding journalist with the line
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Your support makes all the difference.Rebekah Vardy has told the High Court it was “embarassing” to be called the “unofficial WAG leader” in a newspaper article.
The 40-year-old was asked about a 2018 interview she did withThe Sun as she returned to the witness stand on the third day of her libel trial against Coleen Rooney.
The court heard the article carried the headline: “Becky Vardy reveals the secret to England’s World Cup success is down to the lads getting to spend time with their Wags.”
Ms Rooney’s lawyer, David Sherborne, said the article went on to describe her as the “unofficial leader of our Wags.”
Asked how she felt about the term, Ms Vardy told the High Court: “That’s quite an embarrassing statement.”
Mr Sherborne suggested Ms Vardy - who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy - had fed the line to journalist Andy Halls, but she denied this.
The 40-year-old model is locked in a legal battle against Coleen Rooney, who has accused Ms Vardy of leaking “false stories” about her private life to the press.
Ms Vardy denied the allegations and is suing Wayne Rooney’s wife for libel.
The trial has so far seen Ms Vardy quizzed about messages with her agent discussing leaking - or potentially leaking - stories to the press. She has denied to the High Court leaking information to the The Sun was “standard practice”.
On Thursday, she was also asked about events during the 2018 World Cup and her relationship with the media.
Ms Rooney’s lawer grilled her about whether she organised papparazi to take a photo of a group of footballer’s wives during the competition.
“You’d arranged a number of the girlfriends or partners of the footballers in the England team to go for a meal in the restaurant,” he said.
Mr Sherborne read out messages between Ms Vardy and her agent Caroline Watt, in which the latter said: “Got a photographer sorted for tomorrow night too.”
Ms Vardy replied “Ok”, and later updated her agent to say the girls might need to make their “way down in the restaurant car”. Watt replied: “Ok hope he catches you all.”
She denied organising a paparazi to capture all the footballer’s wives after the dinner. She said the photographer was just meant to picture her coming out of the hotel.
Thursday is expected to be Ms Vardy’s final day of evidence. Ms Rooney is set to start giving evidence on Friday.
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