Journalist Laura Craik issues apology to Cheryl Fernandez-Versini for 'ill-advised photo' following social media storm
Writer has apologised for candid snap of Cheryl at the British Fashion Awards
Image taken in bathroom at London Coliseum appeared to show star next to what appeared to be a white substance
Halogen light reflection caused trick of the light and photo was taken out of context
Legal notice was sent around to prohibit the publication of the photograph, directly from Cheryl's lawyers
Craik warns of dangers of sharing 'ill-advised' photos on social media



The journalist who posted a photo of Cheryl Fernandez-Versini in the toilets at the British Fashion Awards has issued a public apology to the star.
Laura Craik has penned an article about the social media scandal for the London Evening Standard, in which she details the vicious trolling she was subjected to by Cheryl's fans and warns about the dangers of sharing 'ill-advised' photos online.

The picture was in fact trick of the light due to overhead halogen spotlights in the toilet, creating a reflection on the glass ledge below from hand soap spillage.
Laura wrote: 'I posted an ill-advised photo of a celebrity washing her hands. And I am sorry.'

Laura was horrified when she realised her joke had been misconstrued and was soon inundated with death threats and nasty comments from the former Girls Aloud star's army of loyal fans, dubbed her 'soldiers'.

She explained: 'While this was upsetting, it was nowhere near as upsetting as the experience of being trolled, viciously, on Twitter, by an army of Cheryl fans who genuinely thought I had sold my picture in a bid to frame their idol as some sort of drug user.'
The writer reveals that she didn't earn a penny from the picture and immediately apologised to to Cheryl the next day via an email to her PR, working together to get the picture banned by assigning her copyright to The X Factor judge.



this is the lady.

source


yeah right bish, why would take a pic of her in the bathroom then?? my fellow Cheryl stans scared the bish for life

Paparazzi is pits. I mean I read she is a journalist but photographing someone in the bathroom is not journalism in my eyes.

She got death threats.... she ain't slick she knew what she was doing... I'm glad she got trolled by the soldiers.

Obviously that's not the right thing to do but this lady obviously knew what she was doing. She took the pic knowing how it looked and tried to cash in I don't believe the claims she took an "innocent" pic of Cheryl at the bathroom just because.

How much did she pay them?

I weep every time I see someone writing these awful things to someone online. All of your nasty tweets should be attached to your job resume.

If it was fake then it's only right for the journalist to come forward and take responsibility. Still don't understand how she managed a "lighting" trick that made it look like three real lines of cocaine on the countertop. I'm not advocating drug-use, nor do I use drugs, but I've been close to coke many times in my life and it looked beyond legit in that photo.