The BBC has announced Alex Scott will host their Saturday afternoon football show, Football Focus, following Dan Walker’s departure.
Walker announced he was stepping down from hosting the popular show at the end of the season as he allows someone new to take the reins.
BBC Announce New Host as Dan Walker Steps Down
Historic Appointment For BBC
Former Arsenal and England international Alex Scott is to become the new host of Football Focus, the BBC has confirmed.
It is a historic appointment for the BBC as Scott becomes the first female to lead the Saturday lunchtime show.
Since retiring from football in 2017, Scott has become a familiar face on TV having worked for the BBC and Sky Sports.
She now takes over a show which has been a regular feature in the BBC’s football coverage since 1974 and now attracts one million weekly viewers.
In a column on the BBC Sport website, Scott said: “From day one, Dan Walker has guided me – and crucially he let me ask questions.
“Dan knew I wanted to be a presenter so he helped hone my skills and allowed me to step out of my ‘pundit’ comfort zone on the show.
“I was one of the first female pundits on the BBC and I clearly remember being determined to transcend from being labelled a ‘female pundit’ to ‘pundit’.
“Besides the statements surrounding my gender or my race, after being part of the BBC family for six years, I want people to see me on TV and think ‘she’s great at what she does’.”
Dan Walker announced his departure from the show, which he has hosted for 12 years, on Twitter saying in a video: “It has been an amazing 12 years and I have loved every second of it.
“I am so proud of the job we’ve done, the changes we’ve made and issues we’ve looked at while the football landscape changed immeasurably.
“I’d like to say thank you to the amazing team at Focus who put so much into the show each week and thank you to the audience for tuning in every Saturday.”
Talented Ex-England and Arsenal Full Back Alex Scott Takes Top BBC Job
Alex Scott is to take the reins of Football Focus from Dan Walker with the BBC host stepping down at the end of the season after 12 years.
Scott, 36, made more than 200 club appearances during her playing career. She also appeared 140 times for England and represented Great Britain at London 2012.
In the aftermath of Scott’s retirement in 2017, the former England full-back turned her focus full-time to television broadcasting, co-presenting on Match of the Day Kickabout.
Her first mainstream appearance was when she became the first female football pundit at a World Cup for the BBC, covering the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the British broadcasters.
After the tournament, she continued to provide insight on the Premier League, and in August 2018 became the first female pundit on Sky Sports, joining the Super Sunday team.
Having covered the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the BBC, Alex Scott was also selected as one of the hosts for the 2020 BBC Sports Personality of Year Awards.
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