Alex Scott looked set to become the new host of the BBC’s long-running Question of Sport, replacing Sue Barker, but it seems like she will no longer get that job as she’s now going to be the new host of Football Focus.

LE HAVRE, FRANCE - JUNE 14: Jordan Nobbs and Alex Scott look on from the TV studio during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France group D match between England and Argentina at on June 14, 2019 in Le Havre, France. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
LE HAVRE, FRANCE – JUNE 14: Jordan Nobbs and Alex Scott look on from the TV studio during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France group D match between England and Argentina at on June 14, 2019 in Le Havre, France. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The Arsenal legend, who holds a degree in sports journalism and broadcasting, as well as a track record as an impeccable pundit who is always far more prepared than her male colleagues has, sadly, been met by a predictable outcry from a section of gammon who felt supremely threatened by a woman who knows more than they do, never mind a black one.

The Question of Sport ‘announcement’ came nearly a year to the day that Scott revealed the awful abuse she had to endure when featuring on Strictly, about which you can read more below.

Since then, however, it seems like the BBC has changed their mind and Scott will now take over from Dan Scott as the host of Football Focus, instead.

https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1393535806933979139

The announcement isn’t a total surprise as Gary Lineker let the cat out of the bag back in April, as he did with the Question of Sport speculation.

The Match of the Day host tweeted and deleted, ‘Congratulations and good luck @AlexScott with your new role presenting Football Focus. With 140 @englandlioness caps and about 350 trophies in the cabinet, I reckon you’ll do brilliantly.’

Gary Lineker Alex Scott Tweet
Gary Lineker Alex Scott Tweet

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Gary Lineker Alex Scott Tweet
Gary Lineker Alex Scott Tweet in September 2020

While there were many positive responses to the announcement, predictable racism and misogyny raised it’s ugly head with some claiming she only got the job because of ‘PC’ nonsense and that it would be the end of the ‘woke’ BBC.

Perhaps the BBC should just keep giving the jobs to cis white men, regardless of their qualifications, eh? That’s apparently not a problem at all. But give one to a qualified black woman and suddenly the world is falling apart.

If you think that, perhaps you should take a break from the internet to have a look at the state of the world outside your bubble and ask who got us into this mess in the first place?

In September 2019, Scott revealed she received death threats and racist abuse simply for appearing on TV’s Strictly Come Dancing.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 26: Alex Scott attends the "Strictly Come Dancing" launch show red carpet at Television Centre on August 26, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 26: Alex Scott attends the “Strictly Come Dancing” launch show red carpet at Television Centre on August 26, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)

“I had all of it – for being a woman on TV, for being a woman of colour on TV, that I’m ‘ticking a box’, death threats,” Scott told the Sunday Mirror. “But I’m still standing.”

Twitter messages saying she ‘deserves to die’ are, sadly, something women have to endure on social media simply for existing. If they happen to be living as a queer woman it’s even worse and if they are a woman of colour, well, then it’s just open season.

sunday mirror alex scott racism strictly
Sunday Mirror

At the time the article was written for the Sunday Mirror, some of the tweets were still online. Had they contained copyrighted goals from the Premier League, however, no doubt they would have been removed within minutes and the accounts suspended, at the very least.

But racism and other forms of abuse aimed at minorities frequently go unpunished across all social platforms.

It’s a reflection of how seriously we take this matter as a society. As Paddy Power pointed out at the time:

paddy power racism huddersfield shirts

Thankfully, a number of the major Sunday paper’s gave this issue prominence:

sunday people alex scott racism strictly
Sunday People
sunday express alex scott racism strictly
Sunday Express

The Mail on Sunday, however, gave it just a small piece which was still better than the left-wing Observer that didn’t cover it all.

Let’s see how much coverage they give to the latest round of increased abuse Scott has had to endure.