Rooney v Vardy is like a period drama with balayage and Botox

The ‘Wagatha Christie’ affair gives us a window into the lives of the rich, and what we see is that they’re just like us

Undated file photos of Coleen Rooney (left) and Rebekah Vardy (right), as Rebekah Vardy . The high-profile libel battle between Vardy and Rooney is finally set to go to trial at the High Court on Tuesday. Mrs Rooney accused Mrs Vardy of leaking "false stories" about her private life to the media in October 2019, after she said she carried out a months-long "sting operation". Issue date: Tuesday May 10, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Wagatha. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett, Adam Davy/PA Wire

In Britain, we don’t like our celebrities to be mythical. This is a land where Alison Hammond and Adele reign supreme. We like public figures who seem, not down to earth exactly, but familiar; people you can picture eating dinner on their laps in front of Coronation Street with a glass of Blossom Hill.

We enjoy the delusion that the only difference between us and someone on TV is a lottery win. This is why the battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has gripped our attention for two and a half years and counting.