TV psychologist Emma Kenny warns: “Coleen and Wayne must remember that a TV show is only temporary – but the emotional consequences can be permanent.”
09:00, 03 Jan 2026Updated 09:04, 03 Jan 2026
The Rooneys are exposing their lives to TV camera in a 10-part series(Image: Getty Images)
Wayne and Coleen Rooney could be gambling with the stability of their relationship by exposing their private lives to TV cameras, a top psychologist has claimed.
Their 10-part Disney+ docu-series, which promises to show the couple “like we’ve never seen them before”, may pile unbearable pressure on the pair, who have endured more than their fair share of ups and downs over the course of their 23-year relationship.
“So many celebrity couples break up after being on reality TV because the show doesn’t just reflect the relationship, it reshapes it,” says TV psychologist Emma Kenny. “Coleen and Wayne must remember that a TV show is only temporary – but the emotional consequences can be permanent.”
According to a source, the show, which has the working title The Rooneys, is the brainchild of Coleen, 39, who, following the success of her Disney+ documentary, Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, and her stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024, is keen to be seen as more than just another WAG.
“Their Disney documentary is going to be huge and I think Coleen really wants this,” our source tells us. “She wanted to get back into television, but it had to be the right thing. This is all about her and she’s kind of proving a point. She’s sick of people saying that she’s a footballer’s wife.”
Wayne and Coleen are parents to Kai, 16, Klay, 12, Kit, nine, and Cass, seven.
The series will shine a light on Coleen’s new entrepreneurial endeavours, while viewers will watch Wayne, 40, swap footie training for the school run. But despite the mum-of-four’s positive reasons for wanting to take part, Emma warns that sharing their private life with the public could backfire.
“When big-name celebrity couples sign up for reality television, they are stepping into a pressure cooker that few relationships are built to withstand,” she explains.
“Reality TV strips away privacy and replaces it with constant surveillance, manufactured conflict and public judgement. Producers are incentivised to expose fault lines, not protect intimacy, and moments that would normally be resolved quietly become content – replayed, dissected and criticised by millions.”
Even though the Rooneys have weathered many storms over the years – including Wayne sleeping with sex workers – there are fears that a reality TV show could push the couple to breaking point.
“Power dynamics shift when one partner is portrayed more favourably than the other, or when public sympathy lands unevenly,” says Emma. “Suddenly, private grievances are validated or condemned by strangers, and that external noise seeps into the relationship.
“Shame, humiliation and perceived betrayal can take root, particularly if one partner feels exposed or undermined for entertainment. Once trust is damaged in such a public way, it’s incredibly hard to rebuild it behind closed doors, especially when media commentary continues after filming ends.”
The couple have already dipped their toes into reality TV’s sometimes treacherous waters with considerable success. The Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story documentary proved to be a huge hit, while Wayne’s Prime Video series, Rooney, also won over fans.
But Emma fears the ongoing intrusion of a longer series could take its toll on the couple, who are parents to Kai, 16, Klay, 12, Kit, nine, and Cass, seven.
“Add exhaustion, competitive environments and separation from usual support systems, and even stable couples can find themselves emotionally dysregulated, defensive or resentful,” she explains. “What looks like ‘authentic access’ to viewers is often an artificial environment designed to provoke vulnerability without offering the tools to manage it.”
However, with filming of the show already well under way, our source believes the couple are taking things in their stride. “They’ve had their ups and downs, but this [show] is doing their relationship good,” reveals our source.
“Coleen has never been happier with Wayne, and it’s made Wayne look at her in a new light. He always knew she was a supportive wife and a great mother, but now looking at her doing all this with Disney, and after the [Wagatha] court case, he really looks at her in a fresh light and with admiration. He realises how lucky he is to have her, so their relationship is in a really good place.”
While fellow WAG Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary was branded too “polished and controlled” by some critics, our source says that Wayne and Coleen have been surprisingly relaxed as far as filming their lives, warts and all, is concerned.
“There aren’t any rules and restrictions,” claims our source. “Coleen’s not going to do the big editing that Victoria Beckham did because she thought that was very much a one-sided editorial, making them look glossy and nice and not talking about the bad stuff. Coleen wants it to be more real, and not so edited.”
While Coleen’s drive for authenticity is admirable, Emma believes it’s important to set firm ground rules when letting the cameras into your home.
“For Coleen and Wayne, prevention starts with clarity and boundaries,” she says. “They need to be aligned before stepping into any reality format about what is off limits, what will not be discussed on camera, and how to protect each other if one of them feels overwhelmed. Reality TV thrives on division – couples survive by choosing solidarity instead.”
However, with the series set to debut in the early part of this year, our source believes the public are in for a treat. “I think people are going to love this – and Disney knows there’s a big audience,” says the source. “It’s Coleen’s time and Wayne is really happy about it.”