Bold headline: Laura Woods collapses live on England football coverage, but is reportedly “all OK.”
Laura Woods, 38, appeared to faint during ITV’s live broadcast of England’s match against Ghana at St Mary’s, and had to be supported by pundits Ian Wright and Anita Asante. The presenter was replaced by Katie Shanahan, who announced that Woods had “been taken ill but she’s in very good hands.”
About an hour later, Woods’s fiancé, former Love Island contestant Adam Collard, provided an encouraging update on social media: “Laura is all OK and with the right people. Thank you for all the kind messages.”
The incident occurred while Wright, standing alongside Asante, was delivering commentary. During Wright’s remarks, he appeared to notice Woods losing her balance. A wider shot showed Wright and Asante briefly propping Woods up before she collapsed to the turf. Wright can be heard asking, “Are you OK?” before ITV cut to a five-minute ad break.
When the coverage resumed, Shanahan had stepped in to join Wright and Asante. “As you have probably noticed we don’t have the wonderful Laura Woods because she’s just been taken ill but she’s in very good hands, so I’m stepping in at late notice,” Shanahan explained.
Woods has established herself as one of the country’s leading sports presenters, having fronted ITV’s coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and UEFA European Championship in 2024. She’s also led TNT Sports’ Champions League coverage and previously hosted talkSPORT’s breakfast show from 2020 to 2023. Her broadcasting career includes stints at DAZN and Sky Sports. After welcoming her first child with Collard in January, she returned to work in April.
Wright and Asante have collaborated with Woods on numerous occasions. Wright, 62, is a regular pundit for Lionesses games, while Asante, 40, has worked with ITV, the BBC, and Disney+. Shanahan, a former England hockey player, serves as a presenter for ITV, talkSPORT, and Sky Sports and typically handles pre- and post-match interviews during ITV’s England Women broadcasts.
ITV has been approached for comment.
