Alex Scott is a household name for football fans across the UK. Formerly a key player for Arsenal, where she contributed to landmark victories such as the 2006–07 UEFA Women’s Cup, she has since become a familiar face on BBC One’s Football Focus every Saturday.
Now, Alex is set to co-present this year’s Soccer Aid alongside broadcaster Dermot O’Leary. The annual charity match sees celebrities and football legends unite to raise funds for UNICEF. This year’s event, hosted at Old Trafford, features England legends and stars including Tyson Fury, Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and Vicki McClure.
While Alex exudes confidence on-screen, she has candidly shared the challenges she faced growing up. In a heartfelt interview with The Big Issue for their Letter To My Younger Self series, she revealed her struggles with dyslexia: “I struggled with school. I’m dyslexic and it’s not that I didn’t want to engage, I just found I couldn’t express myself.”
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She explained how this led her to withdraw: “It was easier to remove myself from an environment where I felt so awkward and misunderstood. If I could redo my school years, it would be different because we now understand that people learn in different ways.”
Despite early obstacles, Alex persevered and earned a degree in professional sports writing and broadcasting, a milestone she describes as both “a proud moment” and a rebuttal to doubters who might claim she only succeeded by chance.
Alex also authored a revealing memoir without the help of a ghostwriter, a process that was emotionally taxing yet liberating. “Some chapters I’d be sitting there crying, but then I would shut my laptop and feel free. Getting it all out there in the world was so freeing,” she shared.
Her book, How (Not) to Be Strong, paints an unvarnished picture of her formative years, including traumatic experiences with an abusive father. She recounts moments of fear for her mother’s safety: “All I could do was lie there and pray my mum would be alive in the morning.”
Speaking to the BBC following the book’s release, Alex acknowledged the lingering pain from her past. “It’s all still so raw. I can visualise it like it was yesterday.”
Reflecting on life after her father’s departure, she noted: “Even when my dad left that environment, we never communicated or spoke about it. You try to move on with your life and leave that to the side but it never leaves you. That pain and the struggles still continue.”
In 2019, Alex bravely spoke out about the misogynistic abuse she faces daily online, often linked to her prominent roles as a football pundit on the BBC and Sky Sports.
Despite these hardships, Alex’s career and personal life continue to thrive. She has been publicly linked to singer Jess Glynne, with the couple frequently seen at major events like the BRIT Awards.
Alex also shares glimpses of her travels supporting the England team and Arsenal, as well as her diverse work, including hosting the football quiz show The Tournament and lending her voice to the EA Sports FIFA 22 video game.
Don’t miss Soccer Aid, airing from 6pm tonight on ITV1 with kick-off at 7.30pm.