Alex Scott has previously opened up about her relationship struggles with girlfriend Jess Glynne.
Jess and Football Focus host Alex went public with their relationship last summer. However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the Lioness.
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Football Focus host Alex Scott on tough upbringing
Last summer, after much speculation, Alex, 39, and Jess, 34, confirmed they were in a relationship with an Instagram post.
The couple’s relationship has gone from strength to strength since. Recently, they enjoyed a holiday to Ibiza.
However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for them. In her book, How Not To Be Strong, Alex opened up on how she struggled to be affectionate with Jess thanks to how her father was with her when she was younger.
Alex alleged that her father didn’t allow her and her family to express emotion.
“Dad didn’t allow us to hug each other or say ‘I love you’. It had a huge impact on us all. To this day, if I want to show people love, I’ll do it by taking them out to dinner and paying,” she said.
‘Are you not going to put your arms around me?’
Former footballer Alex then recounted a time when Jess hugged her – and she was unable to reciprocate it.
“I remember one of the first times Jess hugged me. I was like… [rigid]. She was like: ‘Are you not going to put your arms around me?’ But I didn’t know how to do that. We laugh about it to this day,” she then wrote.
Alex also added that due to her father’s rules, her brother and mother are unable to hug either.
“I’ve worked through it all, but for them there’s still that awkwardness. The love’s absolutely there but it doesn’t come naturally to them,” she said.
Alex on struggling with her mental health
During a chat with Women’s Aid in 2021, Alex opened up about how she struggled with her mental health after retiring from football.
“When I retired, getting trolled, I found that I was turning to drink to try and hide everything, hide what I was feeling,” she said.
“Looking at my daily life, many would wonder how I could be ‘depressed’. But mental illness doesn’t work like that. It’s so easy to think there are people worse off than us and we have no right to feel sorry for ourselves. But that thought process alone can be really dangerous, and lead to bigger problems,” she then continued.
“I didn’t tell anyone, I didn’t tell my mum because I didn’t want her to worry or put that stress on her. I was just that person [who thought] I can look after myself, I can deal with stuff, but obviously sometimes that’s the wrong way,” she then added.
Read more: Alex Scott distracts Soccer Aid viewers with ‘totally inappropriate’ dress
Football Focus airs from 12pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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