Footballing icon Wayne Rooney has made his choice in the battle for the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! crown, publicly backing rapper Aitch over fellow campmate and fan favourite, Ginge.
Rooney's Emotional Plea on Morning TV
Appearing via video call on Tuesday's edition of Good Morning Britain with hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, the 40-year-old former England star made an impassioned case for viewers to vote for the musician. Despite being friends with both contestants, Rooney declared his allegiance.
"I'm good mates with Ginge, and I'm good mates with Aitch as well," Rooney stated. "I've seen Ginge getting a lot of support but I wanted to come on and give Aitch my support, he's been outstanding. Last night, he got emotional, which is good to see because it shows he's vulnerable and he's missing his family. I'm backing him to win so I'm trying to get people to vote for him!"
Praising Aitch's Leadership and Human Side
The former Manchester United striker, who has known the 25-year-old rapper for several years, praised Aitch's development in the Australian outback. He highlighted how the campmate has shown unexpected qualities beyond his public persona.
"I really like that he is showing his leadership skills," Rooney explained. "He's leading Ginge as well and getting emotional as well, which is great for people to see because people might only see this young lad who is a rapper... it's seeing the human side to him as well."
Rooney also revealed that his wife, Coleen – who finished as runner-up on the 2024 series – had been able to give both Aitch and Ginge some survival tips before they entered the jungle.
Family Strain and Jungle Fears
When questioned by Ed Balls about managing family life while Coleen was in the jungle last year, Rooney admitted it was a difficult period. He was living in Plymouth at the time, separated from his children, with two in Australia and two staying with grandparents.
"It is difficult when you watch the show because you don't know what's coming out, you don't know how the programme is, how your loved one is gonna come across," he said, acknowledging the stress for families of contestants.
As for whether he would ever brave the jungle himself, Rooney was decidedly hesitant. While claiming he could handle spiders and rats, he confessed a fear of snakes and doubted his mental fortitude for the isolation and boredom. "I don't think I could do it, I don't think I'm mentally strong enough," he admitted, though he left a sliver of hope by adding, "You never know. But, at the minute, I wouldn't say I would!"
With the final approaching, Rooney's endorsement adds a significant boost to Aitch's campaign, even as streamer Ginge remains the bookmakers' favourite to be named King of the Jungle.
