I'M A CELEBTEARY

COLEEN Rooney admitted she was welling up as she did the final school run before heading Down Under for I'm a Celebrity.

- MARK JEFFERIES

The 38-year-old - arguably the biggest signing for the 24th series of the reality show-said she was excited to be in Australia after saying her goodbyes to ex-footballer husband Wayne, 39, on Monday morning before flying to Brisbane.

But she revealed it was hard for her to keep it together as she dropped her boys Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six, off at the school gates.

Asked if it was emotional, she said: "It was for me, not for the kids. I just done it as normal."

But when pressed on whether there were tears, Coleen added: "There might have been, but not from the kids!"

Coleen is wearing a keepsake Down Under to ensure the lads are never far from her thoughts. The gold necklace bears all four of their names and the proud mum said she has "had it for years and I have always worn it".

She added: "If you look back at old pictures, you will see it."

Asked if she will be allowed to wear it in the Jungle, she said: "I am not sure yet."

Coleen said her children's reactions to her jetting off to the other side of the world were a mixed bag.

She revealed: "I haven't spoken about it with my younger two boys, as not many [people] know. But my eldest son told me, 'Yeah, go for it'. My second one was a bit more emotional."