Laura Woods says stalker ordeal left her feeling ‘exposed’ and ‘anxious’
By Jessica Coates, Press Association
Sports presenter Laura Woods has spoken of feeling “exposed” and “anxious” after enduring years of stalking and targeted abuse.
The ITV and TNT mainstay, 38, told The Daily Telegraph the harassment from a Liverpool fan began in 2021.
Harneet Kaur was jailed for 14 months over the sustained campaign of abuse, which included online harassment and sending sexual health kits to Woods’ home.
“For three years, she would go to extreme lengths to make my life very uncomfortable. There were birthday cards that would say: ‘Today’s the day you were born and tonight’s the night you’re going to die,” she said.
“I would receive monthly funeral letters, because she had signed me up to these things. She sent the animal welfare team around about my dog.”
The prolonged intimidation pattern also included false reports to police and animal welfare, photographs of Woods’ front door and signing her up to dating and spam websites.
I would receive monthly funeral letters, because she had signed me up to these things. She sent the animal welfare team around about my dog.
“There was a video she posted with a gun in America at a shooting range, and it was directed at me. It was just too much, and it changed the way I felt about London. I lived on my own with my dog, and I felt very exposed,” she said.
“I didn’t want to be there any longer. It spun me into quite a bad place. Suddenly I was extremely anxious and low.”
Speaking about her life beyond the ordeal, Woods also opened up about motherhood, her engagement to former Love Island star Adam Collard, and a miscarriage before the birth of her 10-month-old son, Leo.
“Talking to a lady who’d had three miscarriages, you realise how common it is,” she said.
Discussing Collard’s decision to speak publicly about the ordeal during his appearance on Celebrity SAS, Woods said she encouraged him to be open.
“He asked me: ‘What if it comes up?’ I said: ‘It’s not a stigma. I don’t want this to be something we have to hide,'” she said.
“It really affected him emotionally. It’s strange – it’s a loss of something you’ve never had, that you’ve never met, but you feel a real connection to it.”
Earlier in December, Woods made headlines after she collapsed live on air during ITV’s build-up to England’s friendly against Ghana.
Woods was leading the broadcaster’s pre-match coverage while pitchside at St Mary’s Stadium when she stumbled forwards, with pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante moving quickly to catch her as she fell.
ITV cut to a commercial break and when coverage resumed, her place had been taken by colleague Katie Shanahan, who said that Woods had been “taken ill”.
