November 19th 2024.
Coleen Rooney recently made a humorous comment about Rebekah Vardy holding the trademark for "Wagatha Christie." However, a legal expert has delved into the details of what Vardy can actually gain from this trademark after her highly publicized trial with Coleen Rooney.
The court case, which captivated the nation in 2022, was dubbed "Wagatha Christie" due to Coleen's detective-like investigation and her months-long "sting operation." This led to her accusing Vardy, who is 42 years old and the wife of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, of leaking false stories about her personal life to the media. In a viral social media post in October 2019, Coleen wrote, "It's...Rebekah Vardy's account."
Vardy vehemently denied these claims and went on to sue Coleen, who is 38 years old and the wife of former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney, for libel. However, a High Court judge ultimately ruled in Coleen's favor, stating that her post was "substantially true." Since then, Coleen has occasionally spoken about the case in interviews and even had a Disney+ series titled "Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story."
During her time on "I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" alongside other celebrities such as GK Barry and Tulisa, Coleen opened up about how "draining" the trial was and referred to it as her "worst nightmare." She also made a lighthearted joke about Vardy possibly coming after fellow campmate Dean McCullough, who mentioned "Wagatha Christie" in a conversation. When asked who owns the term, Loose Women's Jane Moore replied, "That's a whole other...she does." To which Coleen quipped, "She might be after you now."
Despite losing the libel case, Vardy went on to trademark the phrase "Wagatha Christie," although comedian Dan Atkinson claims he was the one who coined the term. So what does this trademark actually mean and can it still be used on "I'm A Celebrity?" Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly even joked about the possibility of getting sued if they said the words "Wagatha Christie," saying they would have to transfer the money to Vardy's account.
According to legal expert James Pipe, by trademarking "Wagatha Christie," Vardy gains exclusive rights to use the name commercially in the UK. This means she can profit from licensing it for products, merchandise, or media projects such as clothing lines or entertainment content. However, she does not automatically receive anything from this trademark. Companies or individuals would need to seek her permission and potentially pay a fee to use the trademarked name commercially. It's worth noting that the trademark does not prevent people from using "Wagatha Christie" in a non-commercial context, such as quoting it in articles or casual conversations.
After the trial, Coleen stated that it was not a case she sought or wanted. She also expressed her disappointment in the money spent on the trial when it could have been used to help others during tough times. As the winner of the case, Vardy was ordered to pay 90% of Coleen's legal costs.
Now, Coleen is following in Vardy's footsteps and appearing on "I'm A Celebrity." Vardy was on the 17th series of the show in 2017 and has had a lot to say about Coleen's participation. She stated, "Everyone seems to think I have this massive problem with Coleen going into the jungle, but do you know what? If you want to fan the fire, the flames are going to get higher." She also joked about Coleen wanting her life and stated that she wasn't going to continue talking about the case, but Coleen couldn't seem to let it go. Sources have also revealed that Vardy's legal team will be closely monitoring Coleen's time on the show, as they don't want any potential defamatory comments to be made.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede also shared his thoughts on the situation, stating that Coleen will be careful with her comments while on the show. He believes that producers will want her to talk more about the "Wagatha Christie" case, but as a private person, Coleen will want to avoid any further issues or court letters from Vardy's camp. "I'm A Celebrity" continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can get in touch with our entertainment team by emailing us, calling us, or visiting our Submit Stuff page. We would love to hear from you.
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