Alex Scott ‘grateful’ for vile death threats as they pushed her into therapy

TV sports pundit Alex Scott has said the trolls sending her death threats actually “helped” as they made her seek out therapy.

The former England football star, 36, told how she sank into depression and turned to drink to cope with the abuse.

Alex said: “I love my job but it was all the stuff that was coming with it.

“Then my personality began to change. I was going into myself, I was drinking, I was depressed.

“And then I went into therapy and learned skills like how to process it all, talk about my feelings.

“Not just about TV but I learned about myself and life. Those bloody trolls pushed me into therapy and I am so grateful for it for pushing me on.”

Talking about her ordeal, she said: “I was getting death threats and rape threats and I live on my own. I had no one to speak to.

“I did not want my mum to worry or people think I would not handle the business.”

BBC and Sky Sports star Alex, tipped to become the next Question of Sport host, also insisted employing her was not “box-ticking” and she had worked hard to get to her position as an accomplished host and pundit.

She added: “The amount of things [said] like I am ‘ticking a box’ because I am female or because I am black.

“It is just called working hard and it is not an overnight success. It is deserving your place to be there.

“I am not apologising for someone who worked hard. I want kids to believe there are opportunities to go and get them.”

Alex, brought up by a single mum on a London estate, is also making a new TV show where she will look at her Jamaican roots.

She told Strictly’s Clara Amfo on her This City podcast: “I am going over to Jamaica to understand because I still don’t know.

“Besides her stories I really don’t know the history apart from music or the people I have met. That is what has given me my passion for life. I am someone who always wants to learn.”

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