UPDATE: Sports presenter Laura Woods has opened up about the harrowing experience of being stalked, revealing that it left her feeling “exposed” and “anxious.” In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, Woods detailed the relentless harassment she faced from a Liverpool fan, which began in 2021 and led to the imprisonment of Harneet Kaur for 14 months due to her sustained campaign of abuse.
The abuse included disturbing acts such as sending sexual health kits to Woods’ home and a series of threatening messages. “For three years, she would go to extreme lengths to make my life very uncomfortable,” Woods stated. “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 described receiving monthly funeral letters and being falsely reported to police and animal welfare services.
Woods recounted a particularly chilling incident involving a video posted by Kaur, showing a gun while at a shooting range in America. “It was just too much, and it changed the way I felt about London,” Woods said. Living alone with her dog, she struggled with feelings of vulnerability. “I didn’t want to be there any longer. It spun me into quite a bad place. Suddenly I was extremely anxious and low.”
In her candid discussion about life beyond the ordeal, Woods also shared personal insights into her journey as a mother, her engagement to former Love Island star Adam Collard, and the emotional impact of a miscarriage she experienced before welcoming her 10-month-old son, Leo. “Talking to a lady who’d had three miscarriages, you realize how common it is,” she reflected.
Woods encouraged Collard to speak openly about the stalking during his appearance on Celebrity SAS, emphasizing the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding such experiences. “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 explained. She added that the emotional toll of their experience was profound, saying, “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.”
Adding to her recent challenges, Woods made headlines earlier this month when she collapsed live on air during ITV’s build-up to England’s friendly against Ghana. The incident occurred at St Mary’s Stadium, where she was leading the pre-match coverage. Pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante quickly rushed to assist her as she fell, prompting ITV to cut to a commercial break. When coverage resumed, Woods’ place was taken by colleague Katie Shanahan, who announced that Woods had been “taken ill.”
As Woods continues to navigate the aftermath of her stalking ordeal and personal challenges, her bravery in sharing her story is shining a light on the serious issue of harassment and its lasting impact.
