WAYNE ROONEY NAMED EARLY FAVOURITE TO WIN I'M A CELEBRITY

Wayne Rooney has been named the early favourite to win the latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Should he win the public vote at the end of the series, the former footballer would be crowned "King of the Jungle," the title given to the show's winning male contestant. A "Queen of the Jungle" title is awarded to the top female contestant under the same format. The programme's full line-up of celebrity contestants and its launch date have reportedly been confirmed ahead of the new series.

Rooney played as a striker for Everton and Manchester United during his career and represented the England national team. He has also worked in football management since retiring as a player. He is among a number of sportspeople to have been linked with or taken part in the show since it began on ITV in 2002. The programme has also featured television personalities, musicians and media figures as contestants over the years. Each series is broadcast live from camp, with the eventual winner decided by a public vote cast by viewers.

The series is typically filmed at a jungle location in Australia and broadcast over several weeks in the lead-up to Christmas. Contestants take part in various challenges, including the show's long-running "Bushtucker Trials," to earn food and rewards for their camp. They are eliminated gradually through public votes until a winner is crowned King or Queen of the Jungle at the end of the series. There is no cash prize for winning the show, with the title itself the main reward handed to the winner.