Inside Jamie and Rebekah Vardy's marriage now and real reason they survived Wagatha Christie hell

Few footballers have been plunged into the celebrity spotlight quite like Jamie Vardy - and now he's offered fans a rare glimpse into his life off the pitch. In brand new Netflix documentary Untold: Jamie Vardy, the Cremonese striker opens up about his rise to the top of his profession, spurred on every step of the way by his wife, Rebekah Vardy . The couple met back in 2014, when she was a nightclub promoter, and he a star player for Leicester City, celebrating his 27th birthday. Three months later, Rebekah became pregnant, and, the following year, Jamie, now 39, made his debut for the England team, catapulting them both into the global spotlight. It was a Cinderella story for modern times. Rebekah, now 44, has openly discussed her troubled childhood, marred by abuse and homelessness as a teen. Sheffield born Jamie came from a modest working class household, and was employed as a factory worker before finding fame and fortune on the pitch. But the pair have had to fight to keep their fairytale ending alive, amid fierce family rows, and of course, that Wagatha Christie trial... On May 25, 2016, Jamie and Rebekah said 'I do' amid the splendour of Cheshire's Peckforton Castle, where the glittering guest list included the likes of One Direction's Louis Tomlinson, Kasabian's Sergio 'Serge' Pizzorno, and rapper Tinchy Strider. The bride wore a breathtaking Caroline Castigliano gown with lace capped sleeves, while the groom, who'd never considered himself the marrying sort, shed tears as she walked down the aisle. Rebekah had been married twice before, but as she would later tell Fabulous magazine, this was "the only relationship I[she'd] ever felt stable in. Speaking with Hello! at the time, Rebekah shared: "We've come through a lot to get where we are so it's been an emotional day. Life doesn't always run smoothly and for a strong relationship to maintain that strength, you have to support one another through thick and thin. That's what Jamie and I have always done and we're excited now to start this next chapter of our lives and see what lies ahead." But behind the blissful photographs, it's said that family tensions were rife - on both sides of the aisle. Rebekah's parents Alison Nicholson and Carlos Miranda split when the future WAG was just 11 years old, and while dad Carlos has spoken out publicly in support of his daughter, it's understood her relationship with mum Alison is far more complicated. Alison was not in attendance to watch Rebekah and Jamie exchange vows. In 2023, Rebekah spoke candidly about their relationship breakdown in Channel 4 documentary, Rebekah Vardy: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Me, claiming Alison hadn't believed her when she told her of the sexual abuse she'd suffered at just 12 years old. Discussing the doc with Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid , Rebekah said that it wasn't the isolation she felt growing up in the Jehovah's Witness church which damaged her relationship with her mum, but the pain of not being believed. The mother of five explained: "The breakdown over the relationship with my mum was ultimately the abuse, and not being believed when you take something like that to one of your parents. It's the most harrowing experience and the effects, the after-effects of that led to me becoming a bit of a crazy, rebellious teenager and looking back, it's not surprising." Instead of toasting the newlyweds, Alison and husband Iain spent the day 135 miles away at their Oxfordshire home. She refused to elaborate on the reasons for her absence, stating: "We'd rather not say why even though it's obvious people are now going to be wondering why the bride's mother isn't at her 34-year-old daughter's wedding. "I can appreciate that people are interested in them as a couple but we want our privacy and don't want to get involved in any publicity. Things change and while there might be issues, we don't want to comment on the reason why we didn't go." There were also notable absences from Jamie's side at the wedding, including his parents, maternal grandparents, and then-five year old daughter. At the time, a source close to Jamie claimed: "He's got everything going for him apart from a normal and happy relationship with some of his family. He hasn't spoken to his own mum and dad for 18 months and they've not been invited to the wedding. "Jamie's victory is bittersweet. He's fallen out with his family because of his girlfriend. It's such a pity they can't all celebrate his sporting glory and new wedded life." Jamie's step-dad Phil Vardy claimed the relationship between Jamie and Rebekah caused a huge rift among the Vardys, stating: "We won't be going to the wedding. It's not right to talk about it at such a time. It's been going on ever since she came on the scene. "It's a shame and very sad. I don't have anything directly to do with my son any more but I'm still his biggest fan from afar. I'm very proud. I have given him 22 years of life to get him to the pinnacle of his career, and I can't enjoy it. I don't have anything to do with him any more and it really upsets me." Phil, a stepdad to Jamie since he was a baby, reportedly still goes to watch him play, but keeps a low profile. He said: "I follow every single thing Jamie does. I'm there at every game but he doesn't know. He has no idea. I can only enjoy it from the sidelines. It really upsets me. I don't talk to Jamie, my family doesn't talk to him." Meanwhile, also addressing the star-studded wedding, mum Lisa added: “I’'l never say anything about my son, good or bad. I'm not bothered. I get up go to work and look after my family. I'll not be at any fancy wedding." Jamie's grandfather, Gerald Clewes, previously claimed that 'that woman' had come between the sports star and his mother. It later emerged that Jamie's parents and grandparents disapproved of Rebekah, who in 2018, opened up to The Sun about the divide. She shared: "It is what it is. I don't speak to certain people any more and neither does Jamie." While such rifts can be deeply upsetting, they can provide "motivation" to keep a new family unit intact. Reflecting on the ironclad Vardy marriage, Dr Lori Bohn , a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and medical director at Voyager Recovery Center , tells the Mirror : "The Vardys have a large blended family and have established themselves as being centered on loyalty and protecting their internal circle. "Once couples establish themselves as a unified family unit, particularly when they have experienced fractured family units previously, there can be tremendous motivation to maintain the partnership regardless of conflicts or external criticisms. Additionally, Jamie's statements suggesting he places his wife and children first in all things indicates his marriage symbolizes emotional safety and belonging for him beyond romantic love." Rebekah has two teenage daughters from her previous relationships, Megan, her eldest, and Taylor. Jamie also has a teen daughter, Ella, with his ex Emma Daggett. The couple also have three children together - Sofia, Finlay, Olivia Grace. In October 2019, four now infamous words were uttered that would shake up the world of WAGs forever - "It was Rebekah Vardy's account." Showing serious detective skills, Coleen Rooney was able to unmask the individual who had been spreading gossip about her to The Sun newspaper by planting false stories that only Rebekah could see. When these tall tales, which included a flooded basement and a visit to a Mexican gender selection clinic, made it into print, the mum-of-four knew for certain that she'd honed in on the culprit. Taking to X, then Twitter , Coleen planted a bombshell post naming Rebekah as the source of the leaks, which marked the start of the feud and subsequent court battle, famously dubbed 'Wagatha Christie'. The following year, Rebekah, who vehemently denied leaking stories, sued her nemesis for libel, with the trial opening in London in May 2022. Two months and many explosive revelations later, this denial was thrown on the basis that Coleen's statements were substantially true. This proved an expensive loss for Rebekah, who was ordered to cover a hefty proportion of her opponent's legal expenses, on top of her own, to the estimated tune of £3 million. It was a pop culture moment for the ages, inspiring documentaries, a theatre production, and even a Channel 4 docudrama. And throughout the storm of public interest, plus countless memes and court visits, Jamie remained loyal to his wife. While the court showdown has ended, chants about his wife have followed Vardy around on the pitch. Sources say it 'affects' and 'bothers' him. But the challenges seem to have only brought them closer as a couple. Speaking with OK! during the trial, Rebekah's pal Nicola McLea revealed: "Jamie wishes the trial hadn't got so far. But the case, if anything, has strengthened their marriage. They completely adore each other – they're really rock solid as a couple." Dr Lori, who specialises in family and relationship therapy, told us: "When faced with a scandal or media storm, couples will often withdraw internally emotionally because they do not know if anyone can be trusted. The Wagatha Christie saga involved far more than just a court case, it included ridicule, the public humiliation of Rebekah Vardy via social media, and the constant presence of the public eye. "Under these conditions, most couples either break apart due to resentment and fault-finding or become even more united and protective of one another. It is possible that the Vardys chose to lean toward unity when dealing with the public spotlight". Before meeting Rebekah, Jamie was a self-professed partyboy, more concerned with enjoying himself with his 'Inbetweeners' bunch of pals than settling down. He and those close to him credit Rebekah with offering him the much needed stability he needed in his personal life, in order to thrive professionally. In the new Netflix show, Rebekah recalls how Jamie once missed a baby scan to go to the pub with friends. He was partying to cope with the pressure of the job. Remembering the confrontation that followed, she says: "I said, 'You, me, conversation, now'. I said, 'What's your deal? What is going on?' He started opening up about why he behaved like he did. He was like, 'I've got all this pressure on me because they spent all this money and I don't think I can live up to those expectations’. I’m like, ‘Why do you doubt yourself so much? You have an incredible opportunity to do something really special. How do you feel about that?’. "And he was like, 'Probably never going to work'. He said he'd always been rejected and told he wasn’t good enough, so naturally we start to believe that’s true. But I said to him, ‘You are going to screw up everything you’ve worked so bloody hard for if you don’t change your lifestyle choices. I’m not telling you to stop drinking, just rein it in'." Meanwhile, Jamie reflects in the doc: "I knew I could tell her anything and it was never too much for her. What she was saying was right, it needed to stop. It really did. I needed to hear it. She would always be pushing me to go in the right direction and it was 100 per cent what I needed." This change didn't go unnoticed by Jamie's teammates, with centre-back Wes Morgan saying: "Jamie pre- and post-Becky is like two different people. Having that stability and calmness in his life reflected in his performance." According to Dr Lori: "Jamie appears to be extremely emotionally committed to Rebekah and she appears to have had a calming effect on Jamie throughout critical periods of his life and career. The nature of their relationship demonstrates an environment in which both partners believe they were selected at times when their emotions are unstable. "Jamie has talked publicly about feeling insecure, rejected, and uncertain about himself early in his career, whereas Rebekah has talked about having feelings of uncertainty in previous relationships and troubled family dynamics. Relationships that form during times of major change within individuals can be incredibly strong, since each partner believes the other person provides the safest place to grow, develop their identities, and become who they want to be. Jamie continues to credit Rebekah for helping him mature and become focused, and that has created a psychological debt of gratitude and trust in each other that is common among strong long-term attachments." You can stream Untold UK: Jamie Vardy on Netflix from today (Tuesday, May 12) If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999 Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com. * Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .