Alex Scott reveals she received death threats after reports claimed she would host Question of Sport

‘I was scared for my life… I couldn’t leave the house’: Alex Scott reveals she received death threats after false reports she was set to replace Sue Barker as host of A Question of Sport – and admits she turned to drinking to cope with abuse from trolls

  • Alex Scott revealed she was targeted by trolls online after false reports emerged
  • The reports suggested Scott would be the new host of A Question of Sport
  • Scott was subjected to a torrent of racist abuse online in the aftermath
  • The 37-year-old said that the messages she received left her in a ‘dark place’ 

Alex Scott has detailed the abuse she suffered online after reports suggested that she was to replace Sue Barker as the host of A Question of Sport.

The former professional footballer turned pundit received a slew of racist abuse online after being incorrectly tipped to become presenter of the classic BBC quiz show last year.

Speaking to The Times, Scott revealed that the torrent of abuse directed towards her left her fearing for her life.  

‘I was scared to leave my house to even go to the shop. That’s the stage that we’d got to – that, oh my gosh, someone black might be replacing a national treasure could cause such hatred.’ The 37-year-old explained.

The abuse reached such an extent that Scott turned to alcohol, but later found therapy as an effective way to come to terms with the more extreme reactions she received over social media.

Though the A Question of Sport job would ultimately go to Paddy McGuinness, Scott’s experiences as the target of abuse online would only continue.

Alex Scott has revealed that she feared for her life as a result of abuse from trolls online after she was tipped to be named host of A Question of Sport

In particular, Scott was targeted during coverage of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, with crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones suggesting that she would benefit from lessons in elocution due to her East End accent.

The former government minister wrote on Twitter: ‘Enough! I can’t stand it any more! Alex Scott spoils a good presentational job on the BBC Olympics Team with her very noticeable inability to pronounce her ‘g’s at the end of a word. Competitors are NOT taking part, Alex, in the fencin, rowin, boxin, kayakin, weightliftin & swimmin.’

Scott explained that while she is often able to take the comments from detractors online, that she found herself in a particularly vulnerable state following the Olympics last year.

The former Arsenal star was also targeted online during the coverage of the Tokyo Olympics due to her accent

The former Arsenal star was also targeted online during the coverage of the Tokyo Olympics due to her accent

‘I can slip into dark places. And once I slip into dark places, I don’t stop. I loved being out at the Olympics, but afterwards I realised the mad pressure that I’d put on myself to take everything – the trolling, the racism, Lord Digby Jones.’

The former Arsenal star also described the euphoria of being at Wembley when the Lionesses finally ended 56 years of hurt by lifting the Women’s European Championship in dramatic scenes in extra time.

‘Being at Wembley and seeing them win was a full-circle moment for me. I remember crying on air to Gabby [Logan], because I knew it was much more than just lifting a trophy – it was about perceptions of females in society.’

Scott explained that while incredibly proud of the Lionesses achievements this summer, she was happy to watch from the gantry

Scott explained that while incredibly proud of the Lionesses achievements this summer, she was happy to watch from the gantry

Though she made the decision to retire from football before her 34th birthday, when asked if she wished that she had been on the pitch on that fateful day at Wembley rather than in the gantry, Scott insisted that she had no regrets about not adding to her 140 England caps as part of Sarina Wiegman’s triumphant team.

‘Not one part of me.’ She explained. 

‘Because I know this role that I’m in now has been equally important in helping the game in a different way.’ 

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