Alex Scott shares anti-racism poem following A Question Of Sport backlash

Alex Scott will reportedly replace Sue Barker as the host of the long-running quiz show
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George Fenwick18 September 2020
The Weekender

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Alex Scott has shared an anti-racism poem after being targeted on social media over reports she has been chosen as the new presenter of A Question Of Sport.

The former footballer and presenter, 35, has reportedly been signed up to replace Sue Barker, 64, as the host of the long-running quiz show.

Barker is stepping down after 24 years while team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell will also depart as part of a major shake-up.

Scott posted a photo of a poem from 2018 on her Instagram Stories.

It said: “I was that girl that played football, I really didn’t care / I was that girl that played football, long brown hair / I was that girl that played football, with no regards to the colour of my skin / I was that girl that played football, because I always wanted to win.

“I retired from football with medals and honours galore / I retired from football to open a new door / Now I talk about football live on your TV / Some want to say I’m ticking a box, but that’s not me.

“Football is football and that is what I see. Hi, hello, I’m Alex Scott and you know what, football is me.”

The BBC has denied that any decision has been made over the new presenting line-up for A Question Of Sport.

BBC/Vishal Sharma

A spokesman for the broadcaster said: “This is all speculation and no conversations have been had about the future line-up.”

Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker was among those who voiced support for the sportswoman, writing on Twitter on Thursday: “Congratulations and good luck to @AlexScott on being the new host for Question Of Sport.

“Smart, knowledgeable and perfectly qualified for the role. Oh… and if you have a problem with Alex getting the job, you might just be part of the problem.”

On Friday, the tweet appeared to have been deleted.

BBC Presenters: Top Earners - in pictures

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Barker, Dawson and Tufnell’s final series together will be broadcast next year.

Referred to by the BBC as “the world’s longest running TV sports quiz”, the first edition of A Question Of Sport aired in January 1970.

The move came weeks after the BBC’s director-general Lord Hall was succeeded in the role by Tim Davie, the former chief executive of commercial arm BBC Studios.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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