Alex Scott has been the face of BBC Football Focus for the past five years, but the show has now been cancelled by the broadcaster
Alex Scott revealed she was already planning to step away from Football Focus before the BBC axed the programme. The show has been scrapped by the broadcaster after a 52-year run.
Scott had been the main host since 2021, following her takeover from current Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker. Yet the 41-year-old suggested she’d been preparing to depart Football Focus before the BBC wielded the axe.
Writing on Instagram, she said: “I always knew this would be my last season on the show, which the BBC were aware of too. My intention was to move quietly into the next chapter, but sometimes things change.”
Scott added: “TV audiences have been declining for years, while digital and on-demand viewing continues to grow. To have been part of it has been incredibly special, and I’m so grateful and proud of the eight years I’ve been involved, including the five years I’ve had the honour of presenting it.
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READ MORE: Soccer Aid hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alex Scott locked in tense talks with ITV bossesREAD MORE: Alex Scott breaks silence after Football Focus is axed by BBC after 52 years
“It has been such an important part of my life, working with some of the very best people in the business, both on screen and behind the scenes. I’ve loved so much of it, the conversations, the laughter, and sharing so many big moments with you, the audience. Thank you for being part of it.”
Scott will embark on fresh ventures with announcements expected in both her personal and professional life. Here, Mirror Football has the latest updates on the former Arsenal star.
New project announcement
Despite being dropped from her five-year stint on Football Focus, Scott will firmly remain with the broadcaster. She will feature prominently in upcoming major tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
The former footballer will carry on presenting the Women’s Super League and other sporting occasions, and the BBC has hinted at an exciting new venture involving Scott. Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said: “Alex Scott is one of our finest presenters, is hugely popular across the men and women’s game and is a big part of our present and future.
“She will remain at the heart of our sports output across both the Men’s World Cup this year and the Women’s World Cup in 2027, as well as continuing her lead role on the Women’s Super League and BBC Sport Personality of the Year. We are also working on a very exciting new project with her – more to come on that soon.”
The exact details of what the new project entails remain unclear at this point.
Jess Glynne engagement chat
Jess Glynne discussed the potential of proposing to Scott while the presenter was taking part in last year’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! The 41-year-old became the first to depart the Australian camp as she rushed to be with her partner, whose mother had suffered a stroke.
Singer Glynne made an appearance on This Morning to chat about her romance with the former footballer. Scott was quizzed on the show about a possible engagement, replying: “I will get married to her (Jess), I’m just waiting for her to ask! I know my forever is with her!”
Glynne played her cards close to her chest as host Alison Hammond asked: “She’s been talking about getting married, have you got the ring yet babe?”
The 36-year-old said: “Yeah!” She quickly added: “No! The pressure! Why do I have to ask her? It’s a weird one, innit, I mean, you never know who will ask who but…”
The couple have been an item since 2023 and are refreshingly candid about their wish to walk down the aisle. Yet there has been no official engagement announcement so far.
Famous footballer split
Prior to Scott’s relationship with Glynne, she had an eight-year secret romance with Arsenal and England teammate Kelly Smith. The duo represented both club and country side by side, yet their relationship only came to light after they went their separate ways.
Reflecting on the hidden romance in her memoir, How (Not) To Be Strong, Scott said: “For me, it’s like that first love story. I fell madly and deeply in love.
“Yes, there’s that heartbreak and those things, but it’s a huge part of my life and I wouldn’t go back and change that. Because that feeling of love and that excitement and what it gives you, it needed to be in there.”
The pair claimed numerous domestic and European honours together, including a historic quadruple with Arsenal during the 2006/07 season. The ex-Gunner also revealed that her upbringing made it challenging to display emotion publicly, as she opened up to The Times about how her “stupidly cruel” father, Tony, had shaped her.
The former Arsenal star disclosed that the physical and mental abuse she endured while growing up continues to affect her relationships to this day. Scott said: “We weren’t allowed to express emotion. Dad didn’t allow us to hug each other or say ‘I love you’. It had a huge impact on us all. To this day, if I want to show people love, I’ll do it by taking them out to dinner and paying.
“I remember one of the first times Jess hugged me. I was like… [rigid]. She was like, ‘Are you not going to put your arms around me?’ But I didn’t know how to do that. We laugh about it to this day.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
