The Channel 4 show has also cast Game of Thrones’ Natalia Tena. 

The social media antics of a pair of footballer’s wives would usually be well off the beaten track for Cultbox. However, casting for Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama reveals a couple of genre favourites.

For the uninitiated, the court case, dubbed “#WagathaChristie” in the press, centred on some impressive amateur sleuthing. Believing that someone in her circle was leaking stories to the press, Colleen Rooney enacted a clever scheme; carefully narrowing down viewers of her private Instagram fee, she was able to point the finger at Rebekah Vardy. Calling her out publicly, Vardy subsequently sued for defamation.

The television draws on the court transcripts and promises to juxtapose them with media and social media analysis. The writer is Chris Atkins (Who Killed The KLF?), director Oonagh Kearney (Five Letters).

With the dramatization announced hot off the back of the High Court verdict, it’s been announced that Michael Sheen (Good Omens, Staged) is taking the role of Rooney’s barrister David Sherborne. Sheen, of course, is no stranger to playing real life figures; his back catalogue includes Sir David Frost, Tony Blair and Chris Tarrant.

He will be facing off against Simon Coury (The Professor And The Madman) as Vardy’s barrister Hugh Tomlinson QC.

Game of Thrones and Harry Potter star Natalie Tena will play Rebekah Vardy with Chanel Cresswell (This Is England, Trollied) playing Colleen Rooney. Dion Lloyd plays Wayne Rooney, with Márton Nagyszokolyai as Jamie Vardy.

Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama comes from Chalkboard and airs later this year.