After covering the Euros with her trademark confidence and charm, Alex Scott is now preparing to face an entirely different challenge — the Australian outback. The beloved broadcaster and former England international has officially arrived in Australia ahead of her highly anticipated I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! debut.

The ex-Lioness will be trading studio lights and Premier League analysis for jungle trials, creepy crawlies, and campfire politics. But for many viewers who know her primarily as a football legend or BBC presenter, the big question remains: Who exactly is Alex Scott — and why is she one of this year’s most compelling contestants?

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Who Is Alex Scott?

Alexandra Scott is far more than a retired football star. Today, she stands among the most prominent women in British sport and broadcasting.

Born in London, the 41-year-old is of Jamaican and Northern Irish heritage. Her fascinating family history was further illuminated during her appearance on BBC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”, where she learned she also has Lithuanian-Jewish ancestry on her mother’s side (source: BBC).

Alex first made her name as a talented right-back for Arsenal and the England Lionesses, earning a reputation for her fierce competitiveness and tactical intelligence. After announcing her retirement in 2018, she transitioned seamlessly into media — becoming a central figure in football coverage across BBC Sport, Sky Sports, and international tournament broadcasting.

She has covered major events including the Euros, World Cups, Olympics, and co-hosted flagship programmes such as The One Show and Children in Need. In 2021, Scott made history as the first permanent female host of Football Focus, succeeding Dan Walker (source: The Guardian).

Her versatility later extended into entertainment, including roles with Soccer Aid, Goals on Sunday, and special features for BBC documentaries.

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Alex Scott’s Football Career

Alex’s football résumé is one of the most decorated in British women’s football.

She earned 140 caps for England, represented Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, and was a fixture of Arsenal’s golden era (source: ESPN).

Starting with Arsenal at just eight years old, she played across four spells with the club, securing a remarkable trophy haul:

• 5 FA Women’s Premier League titles

• 1 Women’s Super League title

• 7 FA Cups

• Multiple League Cups

Her most iconic moment came in 2007, when she scored the winning goal in the UEFA Women’s Cup Final, sealing Arsenal’s historic continental triumph — the first British club to lift the trophy (source: Sky Sports).

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Strictly Come Dancing (2019)

In 2019, Alex swapped football boots for ballroom heels when she joined Strictly Come Dancing. Partnered with Neil Jones, she reached the quarter-finals and finished fifth.

“I’ve lived out another dream,” she told host Tess Daly during her exit interview, adding that Strictly gave her a renewed sense of creativity and confidence.

Her partnership with Neil blossomed into a deep friendship, one that fans still celebrate today.

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Relationship with Jess Glynne

Alex’s love life made headlines in 2023 when her relationship with GRAMMY-winning singer Jess Glynne became public. The pair were first spotted together at Wimbledon before confirming they were dating several months later.

“It took us a while because what we have is so special,” Alex told The Sun. Jess echoed the sentiment on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, noting: “Even though we’re both in the public eye, what we have is ours.”

Alex has spoken openly about how her upbringing made emotional vulnerability difficult. She revealed to The Times that her father discouraged displays of affection, something that carried into adulthood:
“One of the first times Jess hugged me, I froze. I just didn’t know how.”

Despite this, Alex says she now embraces vulnerability more fully — a journey she previously discussed in Women’s Health.

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Past Relationships and “First Love”

Although private today, Alex’s past relationships have often surfaced in the press.

In 2020, rumours linked her to Coronation Street actor Sam Robertson, though Alex later admitted the public attention around their first date was overwhelming.

More significantly, Alex revealed in her memoir How (Not) To Be Strong that her “first love” was former Arsenal and England teammate Kelly Smith, with whom she reportedly had a long-term relationship between 2005 and 2013 (source: The Independent). She described the romance as intense, transformative, and foundational to her adult identity.

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MBE Honour

In 2017, Alex was appointed MBE for services to football — a recognition not only of her remarkable playing career but also of her influence as a trailblazer for future generations of women athletes (source: BBC News).

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Family, Childhood Struggles, and Trauma

Alex’s childhood was extremely challenging. Her father, Tony, left when she was seven. In her memoir, she alleged that she and her brother grew up witnessing domestic violence directed at their mother.

Tony denied the claims in an interview with MailOnline, but Alex insisted her account reflects the truth of her lived experience:
“I’m not going to allow him to rewrite the story anymore.”

These experiences shaped much of her emotional resilience — and later, her struggles with mental health.

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Speech Impediment and Early Insecurities

Despite now being a confident television host, Alex revealed on BBC Children in Need that she had a speech impediment as a child. Speaking in front of others made her retreat inward, and she spent years in speech therapy (source: Express).

She says: “Sometimes I laugh at how far I’ve come. Talking is now my job.”

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Alcoholism and Mental Health Battles

Alex has spoken candidly about her battles with mental health — particularly during her transition into punditry, when she faced a wave of online abuse (source: Women’s Health).

She confessed she began drinking wine nightly to cope. “I was lonely… and I didn’t want to burden my mum,” she said.

She eventually sought help through the Sporting Chance Clinic, calling therapy “the most enlightening thing I’ve ever done.”

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Preparing for I’m A Celebrity

Now, Alex is heading into the jungle — and she says shyness, not spiders, will be her biggest obstacle.

“People think I’m outgoing because they see me on TV. But at events, I’m the one in the corner praying for a plus-one,” she told ITV.

Her partner Jess is reportedly planning a surprise appearance on the jungle bridge to support her.

What will Alex miss the most?
She laughs: “My hair products. Custard Creams. Bourbons.”

Still, she’s determined:
“I don’t want to let my teammates down. Even if I’m scared, I’ll throw myself in.”

And with a smile, she added one final worry:
“With my Jamaican roots, I love rice and chicken. If I leave the jungle hating rice… that will honestly break my heart!”