Alex Scott addresses BBC decision to scrap Football Focus in first episode since announcement

Alex Scott presented Football Focus for the first time since the BBC announced the show would be axed at the end of the season.

The 41-year-old smiled through the opening of Saturday’s show in a week where she has faced criticism over the programme’s drop in ratings.

BBC

Scott, who took over hosting duties from Dan Walker in 2021, ensured it was business as usual while giving brief mention to the BBC’s decision to ditch the iconic show.

She began: “Hello and welcome to Football Focus. In the words of Declan Rice: it’s not done, it’s not done yet.

“We’ve got five games left to decide the Premier League title and five shows left in the proud history of Football Focus.

“We’re going to be finishing our 52nd season strong beginning today with a “tough tackling” partnership of Ashley Williams and Farah Williams.”

Football Focus first aired on television screens in 1974 and it quickly became a Saturday lunchtime ritual for football fans.

Ratings have plummeted in recent years with Scott coming in for particular criticism since heading up the show.

Support for Scott

However, BBC Sport chief Alex Kay-Jelski, was quick to defend Scott on Thursday when announcing the decision to axe the show.

“She will remain at the heart of our sports output across both the Men’s World Cup this year and the Women’s World Cup in 2027, as well as continuing her lead role on the Women’s Super League and BBC Sport Personality of the Year,” he said.

“We are also working on a very exciting new project with her – more to come on that soon.”

Scott took to Instagram following the announcement, telling fans that she had already planned to leave the show at the end of the current campaign.

BBC

BBC

“I always knew this would be my last season on the show, which the BBC were aware of too,” she wrote.

“My intention was to move quietly into the next chapter, but sometimes things change.”

Meanwhile, the show’s first presenter Bob Wilson told talkSPORT of his disappointment at the decision to scrap the show.

“I am incredibly disappointed that some decision has been made because I think when it comes to the weekend, it comes to the Saturday lunchtime and you’ve got all the games that are on over the weekend,” said Wilson who fronted the show for 20 years.

“Obviously they are spread a bit longer these days, sometimes Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, Monday nights and I think the programme gave that overall look at the game as it is at the highest level.

“To me, it’s very disappointing that it’s felt at this moment in time that the programme is not doing the job that I think it’s always done.”