I’m working class and proud, says TV’s Alex in row over dropped Gs
BBC Olympics presenter Alex Scott declared yesterday she was ‘working class and proud’ after a former Minister criticised her London accent.
The ex-England footballer came under fire from Lord Jones of Birmingham, the crossbench peer, who said she was spoiling coverage of the Games with her ‘very noticeable inability to pronounce her Gs at the end of a word’.
Calling himself Lord Digby Jones, he tweeted: ‘Enough! I can’t stand it anymore! Competitors are NOT taking part, Alex, in the fencin, rowin, boxin, kayakin, weightliftin & swimmin... Can’t someone give these people elocution lessons?... On behalf of the English Language... Help!’
Piers Morgan leapt to the pundit’s defence, calling Lord Jones’s outburst insufferably pompous and patronising.
Stephen Fry joined in the criticism, pointing out: ‘Since we’re being picky, you are not “Lord Digby Jones”, you are “Digby, Lord
Jones”. There’s a world of difference. But however you’re titled, you disgrace the upper house with your misplaced snobbery.’
And Ms Scott, awarded an MBE in 2017, hit back: ‘I’m from a workingclass family in East London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets & I am PROUD.
‘Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent! It’s me, it’s my journey, my grit.’ She went on to urge young children ‘who may not have a certain kind of privilege in life’ to never allow judgments on class, accent or appearance to hold them back and added: ‘Use your history to write your story. Keep striving, keep shining & don’t change for anyone.’
Introducing the BBC’s Olympics coverage last night, Scott, 36, made fun of the row, saying: ‘So far we’ve been runnin’, ridin’, shootin’, scorin’ and puttin’.’