Former footballer Alex Scott has become a hugely popular sports pundit in recent years.
She had a wildly successful career as a footballer before making the move into television.
She won 140 caps for England, before retiring in 2017 to pursue a full-time career as a broadcaster.
But what made Alex make the change from the pitch to the silver screen?
Why did Alex Scott retire from football? When did she retire?
Alex made 140 appearances for the England national team in football and represented Great Britain in the 2012 summer Olympics.
The TV star retired in 2017 so she could focus on her career in front of the camera.
At the time, she had dabbled with TV appearances and decided to make the move permanent.
“At first, I was apprehensive because it’s new territory for me, but I love a challenge as a broadcaster,” she told Hello! in 2021.
“I could really be ‘me’, show my personality and explore a new role – and that really excited me!
“It was one of those professional occasions where you must listen to the information you’re being given, seek the advice from the team around you and make a decision, and I’m so glad I went for it.”
What has she done since retiring?
In 2016, Alex won ITV’s Mission Survive and upon retiring from football, began co-presenting Match of the Day Kickabout.
Her first major gig came as a presenter of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
She became the first female football pundit at a World Cup for the BBC, and she’s stayed with them ever since, being hailed a “legend” for her behaviour at this year’s tournament.
She returned to the BBC in 2019 to cover the women’s World Cup.
In August 2018, she became the first female pundit on Sky Sports, and the following year she was announced as the new co-host of Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday alongside Chris Kamara.
In 2019, she appeared on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with dancer Neil Jones. She ended up finishing in fifth place.
Opening up about her experience, she said: “I’m a huge fan of Strictly and have dreamt of being on it for years, so I’ve loved every minute.
“From the start, I told my friends I wanted to be with Neil. The first time we met, we really got on and when we sat down and talked we had a real connection.”
Since their time on the show, Alex and Neil have stayed in touch and remained very close friends.
Alex on the price of fame
However, her popularity didn’t come without a price.
After being named as BBC’s first female pundit at the World Cup 2018, Alex she faced online abuse from trolls.
As a result, she said she turned to alcohol.
Speaking to the Mail’s Weekend magazine, Alex said previously: “I was drinking most nights. I would easily go through bottles to try and switch off.
“It was the only thing that could help me sleep or numb everything that was going on around me… it was the death threats, the abuse, all of that.”
She continued: “I found myself pulling away from everyone around me, not wanting to talk to anyone.”
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