Alex: My trauma over vile racist death threats

STRICTLY hopeful Alex Scott says she has been targeted by vile racist trolls because of her role as a TV soccer pundit.

Alex, who thrilled viewers last night on the launch of the BBC1 show’s 17th series, revealed the horrifying tide of hate has even included death threats.

The 34-year-old star – who signed for Arsenal at the age of eight – has won a legion of fans since swapping the pitch for the pundit’s chair.

Born in Poplar, East London, of Irish and Jamaican heritage, Alex has racked up the second-highest number of caps for the England women’s team, with 140 appearances. But she came in for a barrage of attacks online after signing up to give analysis of men’s games on Sky and the BBC.

Alex said: “I had all of it – for being a woman on TV, for being a woman of colour on TV, that I’m ‘ticking a box’, death threats. But I’m still standing.”

One message still visible on Twitter last night was sent after a viewer disagreed with one of Alex’s decisions during her studio analysis.

The disturbing post told the talented soccer ace: “You deserve to die immediately. I seriously hope and pray for that to happen NOW!!!!!”

Alex, who captained Arsenal for a year after returning to the club from a spell in the US, spoke of how her mother and grandmother had been terrified by the online abuse.

She said: “This past year has been so tough.

“The abuse I was getting on social media, just for having an opinion on football… I was going through a hard time with it.

“It’s not that I wasn’t expecting it, because I know how social media is. But it was over a prolonged period of time and the abuse was getting worse. And it was my mum worrying. That’s when it really got to me. I thought, ‘ What do I do?’ – I felt I was alone in that process.

“I didn’t want to be that female that’s just seen to be complaining about my new role.”

Alex retired in May last year and was a mainstay of the BBC’s World Cup coverage for Russia 2018 in June and July, alongside top names including Gary Lineker.

A month later she landed a place as Sky Sports’ first female pundit to give

I need to take the hit, for it to be easier for others ALEX SCOTT ON NOT GIVING IN TO TROLLS