*Can You Beat Wayne Rooney* will see celebrity guests challenge the former Manchester United and England forward across questions about his goals, team-mates, dressing-room memories and defining matches.
Alex Brooker will host the programme, with the series set to appear on BBC Sport’s Football YouTube channel and BBC iPlayer. Audio episodes are also expected on BBC Sounds and other major podcast platforms.
Rooney’s competitive edge is likely to be central to the format. He said individual questions could unlock memories of incidents and moments from his career that he had not considered for years, adding a personal dimension beyond a standard football quiz.
The series marks another step in Rooney’s growing media role. He has recently appeared as a BBC Sport pundit during the World Cup, offering analysis before and after major matches alongside contributors including Micah Richards and Joe Hart.
That work has shown a different side of Rooney: less focused on the pressure of playing and more willing to reflect on tactics, personalities and the demands of elite football. His tournament involvement even included a rowing challenge on the Hudson River after a bet made during a BBC Sport programme.
For viewers, the appeal will be seeing whether Rooney’s encyclopaedic knowledge can withstand the pressure of a celebrity challenger - and whether his famous reluctance to lose survives the studio setting.
The BBC has confirmed an autumn launch, although a specific release date has not yet been announced. The next storyline to watch will be the guest list, with the success of the format likely to depend as much on the stories behind the questions as Rooney’s answers.