Coleen Rooney pregnant with fourth child after 'protecting' baby bump on Portugal holiday

After weeks of speculation, Coleen Rooney has confirmed she is pregnant with her fourth child, adding to her growing family with footballer husband Wayne Rooney.

In a short announcement shared via Instagram on 18 August, Coleen, 31, revealed that the baby is healthy, while also explaining her decision to keep mum on the recent pregnancy rumours.

Coleen told her 553,000 Instagram followers: "So Happy!!! ..... Never denied the news, but I was always protecting it!! Had scan & all checks are fine.....Baby number 4 is on its way."

Wayne, also 31, did not directly address the exciting news but the football star did retweet his wife's announcement on Twitter.

The mother of three was promptly flooded with congratulatory messages, including one follower who hoped the new arrival is a girl, tweeting: "Congratulations to you @ColeenRoo & @WayneRooney What perfect news!! I wonder if it will be a baby girl this time or another boy to the clan."

Another supporter added: "Congratulations!! And good for you for only confirming when it was the right time for you, no one else's business."

The married couple will certainly have their hands full as they are already parents to three sons: Kai, seven, Klay, four, and one-year-old Kit. The baby news comes weeks after Coleen silenced body-shamers who noted she was sporting a fuller-figure on holiday to Portugal with Wayne and their children.

Hitting back at the criticism, Coleen said: "So basically....yes on holiday again..yes I've put weight on...& my kids break up earlier than most schools..not missed a day while here. Love Portugal and so do my kids, so much to do with them!!! Lovely restaurants and great food!! 8 weeks school holidays is a long time!"

Coleen also addressed the pressures of snapping back into shape after giving birth, previously telling Now magazine: "After having kids, if you've got a bit of a wobbly belly that's just part and parcel of who you are. The more children I've had, I've been in less of a rush to get back in shape because after three births, your body is going to change."

Coleen married her childhood sweetheart Wayne, an Everton and England player, in 2008. The pregnancy news means earlier rumours that Coleen would appear in the next series of ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here are false.