Helen Wood (television personality)

Helen Wood (born 1986) is an English television personality, columnist and former escort. She is known as the winner of Big Brother 15 and for her regular column in the Daily Star newspaper until March 2017.[1] Her debut memoir, A Man’s World, was released on 3 June 2019.

Helen Wood
Born1986 (age 34–35)
Bolton Borough, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation
  • Television personality
  • columnist
  • former escort
Years active2014–present
Known forBig Brother 15

Early life

Wood was brought up within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton and has two brothers. When she was 16 she went into foster care after leaving home. Whilst at school Helen then became pregnant with her only child, born in 2003.[2] She attended Thornleigh Salesian College.[3]

Career

2006: Escorting

In 2006, Wood was a single mother and in debt and was recruited into escort work by her friend Jenny Thompson. She claims to have slept with four millionaire footballers, three actors and a judge while working as an escort.[4]

2010: Wayne Rooney threesome

Wood claims Wayne Rooney paid £1,000 for a threesome with her and her friend Jennifer Thompson in a Manchester hotel while his wife, Coleen Rooney, was five months pregnant.[5][6] It was reported his solicitors unsuccessfully tried to fight the allegations when they first surfaced in early August 2010.[7][8] Wood was subsequently paid £40,000 for her story.[9]

2011: Gagging order

In 2011, an actor took out a court injunction to prevent her revealing their relationship.[10] The actor paid Wood £195 for sex after booking her through an escort agency in March 2010.[11] Despite the injunction, the actor's name was revealed in the Irish and US press.[12]

2014: Big Brother

In 2014, Wood controversially won Big Brother 15, where the winner's prize was £100,000. She was the first woman to win the competition since the show's inception on Channel 5.

Ofcom received over 1,500 complaints for Wood and Pauline Bennett bullying Jale Karaturp.[13] Wood received a warning on Day 12 due to bullying Jale Karaturp[14] and on Day 21, she received another warning due to using threatening behaviour to fellow housemate Matthew Davies.[15]

Wood continued her feud with fellow housemate Danielle McMahon after the series had finished. Wood was arrested in March 2015 following an altercation with McMahon.[12]

She returned in Big Brother 16 for two weeks as a "Time Warp Housemate".[16] Wood clashed with another Time Warp Housemate, Brian Belo, branding him "psycho", comparing him to a murderer and telling him he "looked like a rapist". Belo left the house and Wood received a formal warning.[12] Channel 5 boss Ben Frow banned her from appearing on the series or its sister show, Bit on the Side, ever again. He stated that it a "mistake in allowing her to be a housemate for the second time".[12]

2017–present: Other projects

After her appearance on Big Brother, Wood wrote a column for British tabloid newspaper the Daily Star.[17] On 3 June 2019, Wood released her debut autobiographical memoir, A Man's World. The book details her experiences with escorting and Big Brother.[18]

References
  1. Harris, Niomi (16 May 2016). "Helen Wood reveals attack forced her to get plastic surgery surgery".
  2. "Helen Wood: life of a middle class prostitute". The Telegraph. 14 April 2011.
  3. "'Winning Big Brother was a godsend', says Helen Wood". The Bolton News.
  4. Akingbade, Tobi (3 September 2017). "Former prostitute Helen Wood tells Coleen Rooney to 'wake up' after Wayne Rooney scandal with party girl". Metro. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  5. Packer, Sarah (21 February 2017). "Wayne Rooney secrets ready to be exposed by escort". Cairns Post. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  6. Rayner, Gordon (13 April 2011). "Leading actor's gagging order over affair with Rooney prostitute". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  7. Moore, Matthew (5 September 2010). "Wayne Rooney 'slept with prostitute while wife Coleen was pregnant'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  8. Luard, Elisabeth (12 September 2010). "Wayne Rooney made one mistake – he got caught". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  9. "Big Brother's Helen Wood: From teenage pregnancy to Wayne Rooney - everything you need to know". Closer. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  10. Editor, Frances Gibb, Legal (5 May 2016). "Actor in tryst with Rooney prostitute exposed". The Times – via www.thetimes.co.uk.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  11. Garson, Robert (5 May 2016). "Beloved British Family Man Burned by Escort's Breach of Contract". Observer.
  12. "Helen Wood Injunction: The 'Big Brother' Winner And Former Sex Worker's Most Controversial Moments". Huffington Post. 4 May 2016.
  13. "Big Brother complaints top 1,500 after Jale 'bullying'". BBspy. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  14. "'Big Brother': Helen Wood Warned Over 'Bullying' Jale, Told Her Behaviour Is 'Unacceptable' In Diary Room". Huffington Post. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  15. Rach, Jessica Anais (26 June 2014). "Helen Wood given formal warning by Big Brother after vicious rant at Mathew: "You're a backstabbing b****rd"". Closer. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  16. "Nikki Grahame and Helen Wood will enter the Timebomb Bunker tonight!". Channel5. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  17. "Resolution Statement 02458-16 Martin v The Daily Star on Sunday". www.ipso.co.uk. Independent Press Standards Organisation. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  18. "Helen Wood to publish tell all book that leaves 'no stone unturned'". www.womanmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
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