Secrets behind Wayne Rooney's astonishing World Cup 'glow up': KATIE HIND reveals what's behind his slimmer physique, thicker hair and fresher complexion...

Glitz and glamour have arguably been in short supply inside the BBC's World Cup studio during this year's tournament.

Bosses elected not to send its star presenters to the US to host its coverage, and the green screens and pot plants that have stood in for locations such as Miami or Dallas – beamed to millions from a distinctly more mundane Salford – have left television audiences a little uninspired.

But even so, a rather unlikely pundit has attracted attention for bringing a dash of much-needed pizzazz.

And no – it's not a glamorous new female anchor, but former England captain Wayne Rooney.

Now the BBC's most famous pundit, 40-year-old Wayne – who has himself joked about being unkindly compared to the animated ogre Shrek – has undergone an astonishing glow-up.

Gone is the tubby build, beard and receding hairline; and in its place is a slimmer physique, a noticeably thicker mane, a fresher, clean-shaven complexion and a stylish designer wardrobe.

The transformation has not gone unnoticed on social media.

'Just seen Wayne Rooney!' one wrote. 'I tell you what, he's lost a lot of weight and looks so much better!'

Another added: 'I am seeing Wayne Rooney on BBC and he is looking great. So happy to see he is looking after himself.'

One even joked that his wife, Coleen, 'must have put him on a diet'.

Audiences have speculated over how he has achieved his new look, questioning whether he had resorted to weight-loss jabs.

But I can reveal that Wayne's overhaul is the result of the trendy Macro diet, which involves individuals tracking their daily intake of the three 'macronutrients': carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

How much each person can have in a day is calculated based on their height, weight, activity level and weight loss goals. But it can help people lose weight, build muscle mass, manage their blood sugar levels and improve health more generally.

And while dieters can eat any type of food as long as it fits into their calculations, typical foods on the diet include lean beef, salmon, Greek yogurt, whole grains and pumpkin seeds.

It is quite the turnaround for the former Manchester United star, who was known for gorging on pizza and McDonalds before Premier League matches – a habit which often got him into trouble with his managers.

And rather than Coleen, 40, stepping in to help him with his wardrobe, I'm told it was Wayne himself who decided to give his style an overhaul. I understand he has even consulted a stylist over what he should wear on television.

With their help, he has picked out carefully fitted shirts, tailored jackets and slimming knitwear – with a particular fondness for high-end menswear brand Hugo Boss.

'Wayne is not a fashionista like his wife,' says a source familiar with him. 'He grew up wearing tracksuits and still loves to wear them today but that isn't possible on television. So with a little bit of help he has spruced his clothes up.

'He even has a new-found love for fashion, and he was even teased by Gabby Logan recently when he commented on how much he loved US manager Mauricio Pochettino's clothes and wanted to know where he had got them from.'

Meanwhile, there are whispers that Wayne may have undergone another hair transplant to cultivate a more youthful look. He has been open about undergoing such procedures in the past, admitting that he had two 'follicular unit extractions' on London's Harley Street in 2011 and 2013, at an estimated cost of £30,000.

'Wayne has always been self-deprecating about his hair, he didn't have much even when he was a teenager,' says a source. 'Who could blame him for doing it again, if he indeed has?

'He looks great, and there is much more of it now. It looks thicker and sharper than it ever has before.'

His Achilles heel, however, has always been alcohol. Wayne has found himself in trouble over the years for his drinking habits, and has even conceded that he would be dead if Coleen had not been around to support him.

In a heart-wrenching admission last year, Wayne told how he 'just drank for two days straight', would play a match and score a couple of goals, and then continue to 'drink for another two days straight'. Coleen, he added, had been his saviour.

'She's helped me control that massively. She's managed me because I needed managing,' he said.

And once again, his wife of 18 years has stepped in to help him cut down on his drinking.

'At the forefront of Coleen's mind is Wayne's wellbeing,' says a friend of the Rooneys. 'She knows he has had a habit of binge drinking in the past. He would get into trouble, it would get into the Press, then he would make it up to Coleen and then he'd go out drinking and get into trouble again.

'But that cycle has stopped. Wayne has cut down on his drinking and the results are incredible.'

I'm told Coleen is very proud of Wayne, and she appeared thrilled to show off a picture of the pair on Instagram that showed her husband looking remarkably trim. The couple were enjoying a date night near their £10million home in Cheshire.

So why now, just months after turning 40, has Wayne decided to give himself a spruce up?

Friends of the star say he now sees his future as a television pundit after his attempts at football management failed following spells at Derby County, DC United in Washington, Birmingham City and, most recently, Plymouth Argyle.

And he realises just how lucky he is to have landed a job at the BBC where he also has his own podcast. For that and the punditry, he is reportedly paid £800,000 after impressing director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski.

So far, he has been the standout star of the BBC's World Cup coverage, taking part in some of the biggest games including England's 0-0 draw against Ghana last Tuesday, where he appeared alongside ex-players Joe Hart and Micah Richards.

While it might be a huge salary – one of the Corporation's biggest – it has come with some negatives: one of them being the truism that the camera adds ten pounds.

Insiders say seeing himself on screen alongside his fellow presenters is what has made Wayne sit up and take more notice of his appearance.

A source explained: 'Wayne knows that success on screen is going to be as much about how he looks as what he has to say and there is nothing worse than looking at yourself on the television, and hating what you see.

'Wayne has got all the sporting knowledge but he doesn't want the embarrassment of looking out of shape on air – he's doing an awful lot of media work now and has this huge deal with the BBC so he's throwing everything into it.

'For years his appearance wasn't a priority but he's made a conscious decision after being a bit shocked by some of what he'd seen of himself, and the efforts are massively paying off.'