This story from Private Eye seems strangly familiar to the deal done between Lachlan Murdoch and Shane Warne a couple of years ago:

HOW JOURNALISM WORKS

4 October 2004: The News of the World reports claims by Jodie Marsh that she enjoyed “steamy encounters” with footballer Frank Lampard and has the photos to prove it.

13 February 2005: Frank Lampard begins an exclusive deal to write for the News of the World.

13 February 2005: The News of the World publishes a correction to its story of 4 October 2004. “Mr Lampard has asked us to make clear he denies [these allegations]. We are happy to do this and to clarify that there are no explicit Polaroids of the alleged encounters.”