Alex Scott has voiced her excitement after being announced as the first ever permanent female presenter of the BBC’s Football Focus.
On Saturday, it was confirmed that Alex would be taking over the job from departing host Dan Walker, who is stepping down after 12 years.
She wrote about the news in a column for BBC Sport, stating: “When I was a kid, I would never have watched television and thought someone like me could be presenting a programme like Football Focus.
“For the BBC to trust me with this role and allow me to be my true, authentic self means a lot.”
Alex has long been rumoured for the role, but said she felt relieved at being finally able to address the news publicly.
Tweeting about the announcement, she wrote: “Omg... may just let out a little scream. It’s finally out there and now it all feels real!!”
Like a number of prominent pundits, including Ian Wright and Gary Lineker, Alex made her beginnings as a professional footballer, notably competing as part of the England women’s squad between 2004 and 2017.
Alex also represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
Since leaving the Lionesses, Alex has begun a successful career in presenting, having been a pundit for both the BBC and Sky Sports in the last few years.
As well as winning a celebrity series of Bear Grylls’ Mission Survive, she also competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2019, finishing in fifth place with professional partner Neil Jones.
She has since guest hosted The One Show in regular host Alex Jones’ absence.
Earlier this year, it was rumoured that Alex could also be joining the revamped version of the BBC panel show A Question Of Sport.