Newspaper pays damages after alleging journalist Caroline Whitmore was a ‘cougar’

ShowbUSINESS journalist Caroline Whitmore has settled her libel case over a newspaper story linking her to young pop star Harry Styles.

ITV Granada’s entertainment correspondent accepted undisclosed damages, an apology and payment of her legal costs from News Group Newspapers.

She complained about a story in the Sun, in July, headlined “Harry and cougar No 3”, which appeared after she interviewed boy band One Direction in 
Liverpool.

During the interview, Mrs Whitmore, who is in her early 30s, was kissed on either cheek by 18-year-old Mr Styles, who was recently alleged to have dated another TV presenter called Caroline.

Mrs Whitmore’s advocate, Julia Varley, told Mr Justice Tugendhat at London’s High Court yesterday that some readers understood that in referring to Mrs Whitmore as a “cougar” and linking her to Mr Styles, it was suggesting she had behaved inappropriately by pursuing a relationship with a considerably younger man.