Laura Woods on Her Profession, Courting, and the Penalties of Difficult Her Soccer Data

LAURA Woods is surprisingly fresh-faced contemplating how little sleep she has had.

The 35-year-old sports activities presenter has spent the weekend at Glastonbury Competition — solely getting residence a couple of hours earlier than we meet. 

Laura Woods has opened up on the best problem of her profession and her relationship lifeCredit score: Mark Hayman

Laura reveals: ‘My information is paramount to what I do’Credit score: Mark Hayman

The sports activities presenter, 35, will type a part of ITV’s presenting staff for the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup – pictured above with fellow presenter Ally McCoist

“I’d by no means been to Glastonbury earlier than,” she says. “I knew it was going to be cool however I didn’t understand how cool — it was wonderful.

“We couldn’t get out final night time although, it was carnage. I ended up strolling for an hour down this nation lane in the dead of night carrying all my baggage. I received residence at 5 o’clock this morning!”

Nonetheless, it’s been good coaching for when Laura will type a part of ITV’s presenting staff for the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup.

Whereas the event is happening in Australia and New Zealand, Laura will probably be in England reporting from the studio with a really anti-social time distinction.

“We’ll get our work achieved, then hopefully sit within the solar and have a little bit nap and revel in the remainder of our day. That’s the constructive manner of taking a look at it,” she laughs. 

The thrill surrounding the event is an indication of how massive the ladies’s recreation has grow to be, boosted by the England girls lifting the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley final 12 months.

“I’ve at all times discovered ladies’s soccer to be actually accessible. I really like that about it. Generally in sport, we get a bit separated from the superstars and I don’t really feel like we’ve that separation within the ladies’s recreation.

“Once you go to the video games, it’s actually completely different to males’s soccer. It’s fairly family-orientated and the ambiance generally is actually enjoyable and welcoming.

“The usual is rising shortly as the remainder of the world catches up, and I’ve been excited to be part of it. We simply get wonderful pundits and the exhibits are enjoyable.

“The largest praise that I may pay is that once I flip as much as any recreation, the manufacturing, the enter… all the pieces is strictly the identical as it will be for a males’s soccer recreation — it’s the identical stage of professionalism behind the cameras as it’s in entrance. It’s achieved very nicely.”

Laura is especially happy that it’s turning an entire new technology of ladies on to taking part in sport.

“There wasn’t a women’ soccer staff once I was at college — when you needed to play soccer, you’d tag together with the boys, and that wasn’t at all times allowed,” she says.

“I used to be a part of a rugby staff that was blended, however I used to be one of many solely women within the membership. You at all times felt a little bit bit such as you’re taking part in a boys’ recreation, fairly than your individual recreation.

“That may be fairly off-putting if you get a bit older and grow to be extra self-conscious about being a woman operating round with the boys.

“It’s so completely different now. My little sister is 14 and he or she is a part of a women’ soccer staff. It’s so completely different, however so regular.

“Everyone who works in ladies’s soccer needs it to be like that. They don’t need it to really feel prefer it’s a token gesture. It’s only a sport that we wish to play and we additionally wish to watch.”

The Lionesses are set to kick off their first match on July 22 towards Haiti – who does she suppose would be the stars of the event?

“Spain will at all times do nicely, for my part,” she says. “Germany is unquestionably at all times a hazard. USA, despite the fact that the staff’s getting a little bit bit older, they’re fairly far forward of different international locations when it comes to their growth. 

She provides: “With England, we’ve a lot of accidents — the timing is kind of heartbreaking.

“However the England staff has quite a lot of power — our bench is at all times stacked filled with expertise — so I do have this sense that though we’re going to overlook quite a lot of massive gamers, there will probably be a coming-of-age of others, like Lauren James.

“You’ve seen a little bit of her already, however she’s going to be a celebrity. There’s one thing about her that may be very, very particular.”

Laura is aware of a factor or two herself about blazing a path in what was a historically male-dominated enviornment.

In 2020, she joined talkSPORT’s flagship breakfast present, co-hosting alongside Ally McCoist from 6am to 10am.

Laura joined talkSPORT’s flagship breakfast present in 2020 alongside Ally McCoistCredit score: Instagram/Laura Woods

She says of her current departure: ‘It was a extremely laborious determination [to leave] however these hours are brutal, and I felt prefer it was the correct time’Credit score: Mark Hayman

She’s since gone on to scoop a number of awards for her protection, together with Finest Speech Breakfast Present on the ARIAS in 2021, earlier than lately deciding to step down. Her final present aired on June 28. 

“I actually tried to not cry doing the announcement, as a result of I simply didn’t wish to let the emotion take over,” she admits.

“It was a extremely laborious determination [to leave] however these hours are brutal, and I felt prefer it was the correct time.

“Folks say it’s essential to exit on a excessive, and the breakfast present is in an incredible place for the time being. 

“The final time I spoke to Fabulous in 2020, I’d simply began on the present and I used to be feeling swamped. It was in the course of Covid and there was no precise sport to speak about.

“It was the most important problem of my  profession, and of my life on the time. I used to be dwelling by myself and I felt very remoted, very lonely and like I couldn’t present the world what I may do with that present.

“I didn’t have any of the instruments I wanted, however I discovered to work via it. Then sport got here again. It was unbelievable — I’ve by no means felt something like that. It was simply such a aid.”

She definitely is leaving on a excessive after profitable over their 3.6 million listeners, who had been nervous about her changing seasoned professional Alan Brazil. 

“I undoubtedly suppose it’s made me a extra assured particular person and introduced me to the place I’m now,” she says.

“It’s such a cliché, however simply being your self is your largest power.

“It’s the one factor you’ve got that separates you from anyone else, so having that point in that area to develop into myself and be my very own particular person was a present that I didn’t know I used to be being given on the very starting, so I’ll miss it rather a lot.”

Laura has beforehand talked about sexism within the business and the way she was accused of “flirting” with each man she interviewed. Now, she says, fortunately, it has grow to be a lot much less frequent.

“Once I was youthful, it was a query folks requested me rather a lot. Now, I really like the surroundings and it’s much more various than folks might imagine.

“There’s in all probability nonetheless a little bit approach to go, nevertheless it’s not an alien world for me. It’s a spot that I discover quite a lot of consolation in.

“In case you listened to my present or watched the issues I current, it will be actually tough to accuse me of not having any information in my job. 

“You wouldn’t get within the door when you didn’t have the information. You’d be came upon in a short time. It’s like saying: ‘I wish to be a plumber’, however you don’t know the best way to be a plumber.

“In case you don’t have a grasp of what’s happening, you’re by no means going to get to the highest. My information is paramount to what I do. You’d be in a little bit of bother when you tried to problem me on it as nicely!”

Getting up at foolish o’clock to host the breakfast present hasn’t been conducive to her love life both, and Laura has been single after splitting from former England rugby participant Alex Corbisiero simply earlier than she turned 30. She’s dated since, however hasn’t had time to pursue something critical.

“I’m single, however I’m additionally relationship,” she says. “That’s part of my life that I’ve discovered to maintain non-public.

“I don’t wish to put my entire life on the market for everyone to see. I wish to maintain some issues like ‘that particular person’ extra sacred. 

“However sure, it’s laborious. It’s like: ‘Would you wish to go for brunch… after I’ve had a nap?’” she laughs. “It’s had a large impact on quite a lot of my life.”

As for what’s arising career-wise after the World Cup, Laura shakes her head when requested about rumours she’s signed a giant deal to take over from Jake Humphrey on TNT Sports activities (beforehand BT Sport).

“I do know, I’ve seen quite a lot of articles, however I haven’t signed something,” she says.

“There are a few gives, however I’ve received a wonderful month off now the place I can sit down and begin planning the subsequent issues. I don’t wish to rush into something.

“I’ve by no means been in a position to have that privilege in my life earlier than. By no means. I’ve at all times been 100 miles per hour in my profession.

“I used to have this work ethic of taking completely all the pieces, as a result of I knew that it will educate me one thing.

“I didn’t care what it was, I might do it, and it was good. It undoubtedly received me to the place I’m now. However now, I’ve earned the correct to take a step again and suppose: ‘What is true for me subsequent?’

“I’d actually like to get wholesome. I need to have the ability to train extra and take my canine for lengthy walks.

“I’m simply bored with feeling drained. I wish to give my household and pals extra of my consideration.

“I actually wish to prioritise that a part of my life extra. I’d wish to have a bit extra of a routine for myself and take into consideration what’s subsequent, and I wish to have a transparent head to have the ability to do this.”

The Laura of at present is rather more confident and assured than the final time we spoke. Maybe as a result of she has realised she is greater than able to her job and has proved the doubters unsuitable.

She nods: “I’ve grown up. I’m 35 now, and I see the world in a different way to how I did earlier than.

“It’s so completely different to 10 years in the past and the place I believed my life and my confidence ranges had been. I’m a lot extra snug in my pores and skin now.

“I’ve skilled quite a lot of issues and my profession has moved ahead. I work rather a lot on who I wish to be.

“I management what makes me completely happy, and who I wish to spend my time with. I’ve discovered a lot from folks round me. Valuing your self and your relationships — finally that’s what it’s all about for me.” 

• ITV’s protection of the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup begins on Thursday July 20.

Laura presenting on ITV with former England participant Jill ScottCredit score: Naomi Baker – The FA/The FA by way of Getty Photographs