More quiz hosts like me? We’re the right answer...

Alex buzzing about new role

ALEX Scott says it’s time to level the playing field for female gameshow hosts after making her debut yesterday, adding: “We need more.”

The former Arsenal and England footballer is cutting her teeth on new BBC daytime quiz The Tournament.

While the Beeb says it is aiming for an even number of male and female hosts, the Mirror reported earlier this year how not a single ITV game show at the time was fronted by a woman.

Speaking to the Mirror, Alex said: “We’ve all grown up knowing that quiz shows are male, with a certain look or a certain sound.

“So all I can hope for now is people see me on the Tournament… they believe that there’s the space for them.”

She said she was delighted with the BBC’S pledge for parity, adding: “It’s starting to change, let’s keep changing that narrative.”

Gary Lineker has just been unveiled as the host of the channel’s Sitting On

A Fortune. In January, ITV aired 2 game shows or quizzes all of which were presented by men, including The Chase with Bradley Walsh, Tipping Point with Ben Shephard and Lingo with Adil Ray.

The most high-profile female presenter was Anne Robinson, who presented The Weakest Link on the BBC from 2000 to 2012.

Michael Kelpie, managing director of Potato – which makes The Chase – was previously asked about the lack of women hosts in a BAFTA talk.

Presenter Charlene White asked him: “Women like game shows too and there’s not many women.”

He replied: “We have been trying to find a combination of a female host and the right format for two years and we are going to keep going until we get it.”

In-demand Alex fronted BBC’S Olympic coverage with Clare Balding.

She said: “I think what everyone saw was a genuine connection, us having fun and bouncing off each other.”

The Tournament, BBC1, 2.15pm.

We’ve all grown up knowing quiz shows are male

Last week he led his party through the sewers. This week he had the chance to apologise... But instead of stepping up he has hidden away KEIR STARMER IN THE COMMONS YESTERDAY

own MPS turned on him, as his personal poll ratings slumped to their lowest since he took power.

Former chief whip Mark Harper said: “Politics is a team game. If the team captain gets it wrong he should come and apologise.”

Mr Johnson’s no-show echoes his day trip as Foreign Secretary to Afghanistan to avoid angering constituents in a vote on expanding Heathrow Airport.

And during the last general election campaign he hid in a fridge to skip awkward questions. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle kicked off the debate by warning the PM’S abortive bid to save Mr Paterson had been highly damaging to MPS’ reputations.

Tories had tried to block a 30-day suspension for the MP, who breached lobbying rules, by trying to changes the laws on parliamenjohnson’s tary standards. Mr Paterson has since quit.

The SNP has made a formal complaint to the Metropolitan Police over claims Tories awarded peerages to donors who gave millions to the party.

After Mr Johnson’s hospital visit, Northumbria Trust insisted he had stuck to rules on masks.

But Hexham’s guidance states: “Anyone attending our hospitals must continue to wear a face-covering at all times to protect patients, visitors and staff.”

The PM last week sat snoozing with no mask next to 95-year-old Sir David Attenborough at COP26.

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “He’s now irresponsibly parading round a hospital without a mask.”

ITV game shows were fronted by men. Zero were hosted by women GOOD SPORT Alex Scott is becoming a TV mainstay