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Former escort linked to Wayne Rooney praises regional daily

A former escort linked to a scandal involving Wayne Rooney has praised a regional daily and encouraged national tabloids to “take a leaf” from the newspaper’s book.

Helen Wood has thanked the Manchester Evening News for a story it ran about her, describing her interview with TV and showbiz writer Vickie Scullard as “the best I’ve ever had with a journo.”

Ms Wood first hit the headlines in 2010 after claims she spent a night with Mr Rooney, who was then playing for Manchester United, while she was working as an escort.

The 32-year-old, who lives in a village north of Manchester, has since won reality TV show Big Brother and has now published her autobiography.

Helen Wood

Last week she also issued an apology to Mr Rooney’s wife Colleen over the alleged meeting.

Mr and Mrs Rooney have not commented on the claims or responded to Ms Wood’s apology.

In her MEN interview, Ms Wood opened up about her search for ‘Mr Right’, the ‘double standards’ relating to women involved in sex work, and the difficulties she’s faced rebuilding her life after scandal.

On her decision to write the book, she added: It’s exhausting to see lies written about you and fabrications of what happened. How long does a person have to put up with someone saying stuff about them before they put pen to paper?”

Posting on Twitter after the resulting story was published, she wrote: “The best interview I’ve ever had with a journo. Other tabloids should take a leaf from this instead of trying to drag people, the truth in parts is bad enough without feeling the need to fabricate/lie about person. Thanks MEN and Vickie Scullard.”

Vickie told HTFP: “Helen has been through so much in her life and I was keen to get a real insight into what it’s been like from her side.

“I’m glad that she’s recognised the effort we made to report her story fairly. Journalists don’t often get heaped with praise so her message means a great deal.”