Rooney Series Under Fire for Downplaying Friends' Presence During 'Romantic Getaway'
The Real Rooneys documentary showed Wayne and Coleen Rooney on a trip to reconnect, but a Mail on Sunday investigation reveals former teammates and their partners were also present.
Viewers of The Real Rooneys are being shown a romantic getaway to the Scottish Highlands intended to help Wayne and Coleen Rooney reconnect amid marital troubles. However, the series is facing criticism for not fully representing the trip as depicted.
Coleen Rooney stated in the show that she was hoping for a "really nice weekend away, just to have a bit of quality time together" and that a break would help them "reconnect." The couple is shown driving to Loch Lomond for activities such as clay-pigeon shooting and whisky tasting at the five-star Cameron House Hotel.
Despite the show's portrayal of a private couples' retreat, The Mail on Sunday has revealed that former Manchester United teammates Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson, along with their wives Lisa and Danielle, also attended. This presence of other couples was not mentioned in the program.
The mini-break took place in September 2025. Danielle Gibson shared a photograph on Instagram on September 23, 2025, showing herself, Coleen, and Lisa engaged in clay-pigeon shooting. Coleen appeared to be wearing the same attire seen during the whisky-tasting scene at Cameron House Hotel featured in the series.
The following day, Wayne Rooney posted photos of himself and Coleen with Loch Lomond in the background, and another of the two couples dining at the Gleneagles Hotel, located about an hour's drive from Loch Lomond.
"It is called the Real Rooneys but there wasn't much real about that trip," a source commented on the show's depiction.
A spokesperson for the Rooneys stated, "Wayne and Coleen attended a golf invitational event in Scotland. This event was also attended by a number of other celebrities. After this event had concluded, Wayne and Coleen travelled on to Cameron House. This part of their trip was made solely as a couple, with only their production crew accompanying them."
The ten-part series, which premiered recently, offers viewers a glimpse into the Rooneys' life, including their mansion and business dealings, such as Coleen's partnership with Primark and Wayne's contract with Gary Neville's Overlap firm, now owned by Disney+.
However, the show has faced criticism for not being the unvarnished portrayal it claims to be. In a one-star review for the Daily Mail, Christopher Stevens described the show as "an exercise in pretence," adding, "I resent being told, loudly and repeatedly, that I’m watching the full, unvarnished truth, when it’s obvious the show is highly staged propaganda."