Graphic warning: Laura Woods shares gruesome facial injuries after TNT Sports presenter's freak accident on holiday with fiance Adam Collard

More than 18 months after a terrifying holiday accident that left fans shocked and concerned, Woods has lifted the lid on the gruesome reality of her recovery. The 38-year-old sports presenter, widely regarded as one of the best in the business, was forced to withdraw from TNT Sports' coverage of the historic heavyweight clash between Fury and Usyk in May 2024 after suffering severe facial lacerations. At the time, the details were kept relatively private, but Woods has now taken to Instagram to document the sheer severity of the trauma she endured.

In a candid and unflinching series of posts, Woods shared the graphic timeline of her injuries with her followers, offering a "squeamish" warning before revealing close-up photographs taken inside the operating theatre. The accident occurred while she was staying at a holiday cottage with her partner, former Love Island star Adam Collard. In a moment of innocent fun turned nightmare, Woods was swinging a pillow above her head when it struck a glass lampshade, causing it to shatter instantly and shower her in razor-sharp shards. The resulting injuries were catastrophic, requiring urgent specialist attention and leaving physical and emotional scars that she is still managing today.instagram/laurawoodsy

The images shared by Woods paint a harrowing picture of the incident. After posting a "before" photo taken just days prior to the accident, she shared snapshots from the operating table that showed surgeons working delicately around her eye. The glass had caused deep lacerations to the area around her eyebrow and directly underneath her eye, narrowly missing her vision in what she described as a stroke of luck amidst the chaos.

"A very bad day, these cuts ended up going down to the bone. But somehow missed my eye," she captioned the images. One particularly graphic photograph showed the wound on her eyebrow stitched up while surgeons moved to repair the damage to the delicate skin beneath her eye.

The facial injuries were the most visible, but they were not the only damage sustained. Woods also revealed a gaping cut above her elbow, admitting that the back of her arm was "a bit of a mess too," though she couldn't see it clearly at the time. The frankness of the posts highlights just how close the presenter came to a career-altering, or even life-changing, injury. The shattered glass sliced deep enough to expose bone, turning a relaxing getaway into a medical emergency in the blink of an eye.instagram/laurawoodsy

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Following the accident, the priority was immediate reconstruction to minimise scarring and prevent infection. Woods revealed that she and Collard drove five hours from their holiday location to London to see a specialist plastic surgeon who could "fix" her up. The desperate dash to the capital underscores the severity of the situation, as they sought the best possible care to save her face.

Subsequent photos showed the Arsenal fan in a hospital gown and blue hat, face plastered up post-surgery. The road to recovery was not instant. Woods detailed the "ugly phase" of healing, where the scars appeared to be regressing rather than improving. She humorously dubbed this her "Bear Grylls stage".

Remarkably, Woods returned to television screens just weeks later for the 2024 Champions League final, a testament to her professionalism and resilience. Adding another layer to the emotional rollercoaster, she revealed that shortly after her return to work, she discovered she was almost five weeks pregnant with her son, Leo. The joy of the pregnancy news coincided with the trauma of the healing process, creating a complex period of physical change for the presenter.

instagram/laurawoodsy

Despite the successful emergency surgery and her return to the spotlight, Woods admitted she remains "very conscious" of the lasting marks on her face, particularly a large bump on her eyebrow that has proven stubborn. In her quest to reduce the visibility of the scars, she has recently turned to more aggressive cosmetic treatments.

Updating her followers on her current status, Woods revealed she is undergoing a course of "big f laser to see if I can help the appearance of the scars". She was honest about the downsides of the procedure, describing it as both painful and expensive. "Looked like I had been put in a toaster," she joked, referencing the intense redness and sensitivity caused by the laser, which works by burning microscopic columns into the skin to stimulate fresh collagen production.

The decision to pursue further treatment highlights the pressure on television personalities to maintain their appearance, but also Woods' personal desire to close the chapter on the accident physically. She expressed hope that the discomfort and cost would ultimately be worth it if it helps flatten the scars that serve as a daily reminder of the incident. 

instagram/laurawoodsy