So I’m watching the Champions League last Tuesday, you know? Laura Woods appears on screen looking sensational and a voice inside my head says, ‘Wait, didn’t she just have a baby?’ My wife turns to me and says, “She’s just had that child; how can she be back on TV already, presenting football? Mental.”
That got me proper curious about Laura Woods and how she’s managing everything. Because let’s be honest, most new mums I know are lucky if they remember to brush their teeth some days.
I’ve followed Laura since her days at talkSPORT. At the time she was doing the breakfast show with Alan Brazil, nobody knew who she was and all this fuss and attention had been around him. Typical, really. But she stayed with it, and look where she is now.
The Baby Everyone’s Talking About
Leo Ernie Collard was born on 25th January, 2025. Cute name, that. Laura and Adam Collard (yep, Love Island’s own) revealed it on Instagram with this proper sweet post. You know the type: tiny baby hands and an emotional caption about their “little miracle”.
My mum saw the post and got on her high horse about how young Laura looks for 37. “She doesn’t appear a day over 30,” she repeated. Mums, eh? Always hold everyone up to their own daughters.”
But seriously, watching Laura’s Instagram stories with baby Leo is gorgeous. There are no frilly photoshoots or anything snazzy. Just a mum completely besotted with her son.
Adam Collard’s Not Just Another Reality Star
Right, so when Laura Woods ended up with Adam, my first reaction was like, “What’s she doing?” Love Island contestants aren’t known for their long-term relationships, are they? And he’s almost 10 years younger.
But I’ve been following the two of them around for a year and a bit, and to be fair, he seems sound. He seems really supportive of her work and does not appear to have a problem with her earning significantly more money than he does; as far as I can tell, he is also actively involved with the baby.
They became engaged last September somewhere swanky in the Cotswolds. The ring looked massive on her Instagram post, but knowing Laura, she would have settled for Argos if it meant she got to marry the right person.
Going Back to Work After Three Months? Madness
This is what’s got everyone talking. Three months after having Leo, Laura’s back on TNT Sports like nothing happened. I asked my sister about this as she’s got two kids, and she just laughed. “I could barely make a cup of tea at three months, let alone present live television.”
But that’s Laura all over, isn’t it? When she sets her mind to something, she just gets on with it. No drama, no excuses, just results.
I watched her covering some women’s football match last week. Sharp as a tack, asking all the right questions, looking like she’d had eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Meanwhile, I know she’s probably been up half the night with a teething baby.
The Instagram Thing Everyone Gets Wrong
Laura Woods got about 741,000 followers on Instagram now. Not millions like some people, but proper engaged followers who actually care about what she’s posting.
What I like about her account is that it doesn’t feel fake. She’ll post a selfie from the TNT Sports studio one day, then a photo of Leo’s tiny socks the next. No trying to be the perfect mummy blogger or anything cringey like that.
My teenage niece follows her and reckons Laura’s “goals” because she doesn’t try too hard. Coming from a 16-year-old who dissects every Instagram post like it’s a university dissertation, that’s quite the compliment.
The Money Side Nobody Talks About
Look, I don’t know exactly what Laura Woods earns, but it’s clearly decent money. TNT Sports didn’t poach her from talkSPORT for peanuts, did they? And she’s the face of their Champions League coverage, which is basically the biggest job in sports broadcasting.
There was a report about her celebrating dividends worth nearly half a million quid. Good for her, I say. She’s worked her backside off to get where she is.
Having that financial security must make the whole new-parent thing less stressful. Not that money fixes everything, but it certainly helps when you can afford proper childcare and don’t have to worry about bills.
What Makes Laura Woods Different
I’ve been trying to figure out why Laura Woods stands out in sports broadcasting. It’s not just that she knows her stuff; plenty of presenters know their football. It’s something else.
She’s got this way of making everyone feel comfortable. Footballers seem to open up to her more than other presenters. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t try to catch them out with gotcha questions, just has proper conversations.
My dad’s started watching more football coverage just because Laura’s presenting it. He never used to bother with the studio bits, but now he’ll sit through the whole thing. “She asks the questions I want answered,” he says.
The Juggling Act That’s Impressive as Hell
Honestly, watching Laura manage everything she’s got going on right now is pretty inspiring. New baby, planning a wedding, presenting the biggest football matches in Europe, and somehow looking effortless whilst doing it all.
My wife and I were discussing this over dinner last night. She made a good point: “Laura’s showing women that you don’t have to disappear when you become a mum.” And she’s right. Laura’s proving you can keep your career momentum even after having kids.
It’s not easy, obviously. Nobody’s pretending it is. But she’s showing it can be done if you’ve got the right support system and refuse to let anyone tell you what you can’t do.
Where She Goes Next
Laura’s contract with TNT Sports runs for a few more years, but I reckon she could do anything she wants after that. Prime-time TV presenting, her own show, maybe even move into producing.
She’s already won loads of awards: Broadcast Sports Presenter of the Year and SJA Sports Presenter twice. The industry clearly rates her, and viewers love her.
But right now, she seems focused on finding that balance between work and family life. Can’t blame her for that. Baby Leo won’t be tiny forever, and those early months are precious.
Laura Woods has basically cracked the code on having it all. Career, family, success on her own terms. Not many people manage that, especially in such a competitive industry.
Fair play to her, really.
