Alex Scott breaks silence after Football Focus axed by BBC

Lewis Henderson
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:45:27 +0000

Alex Scott has broken her silence after Football Focus was axed by the BBC.

The presenter, who had only fronted the show for five of its 52 years, took over from Dan Walker, who had presented it for over a decade.

Audience figures had been falling as of late from 849,000 in 2019 to just 600,000 by 2023, with figures at one point dipping to approximately 564,000.

Sharing a statement on social media, Scott wrote: "After 52 years on air, Football Focus is coming to an end.

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"To have been part of it has been incredibly special, and I'm so grateful and proud of the eight years I've been involved, including the five years I've had the honour of presenting it.

"It has been such an important part of my life, working with some of the very best people in the business, both on screen and behind the scenes."

The presenter continued: "I've loved so much of it, the conversations, the laughter, and sharing so many big moments with you, the audience. Thank you for being part of it.

"I always knew this would be my last season on the show, which the BBC were aware of too. My intention was to move quietly into the next chapter, but sometimes things change."

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Explaining how the show started to struggle, the former Lioness said: "When this show began all those years ago, social media wasn't a driving force, podcasts didn't exist, and there was no instant access to information in the way there is today.

"Now, by the time we go on air, the reality is you've already seen it, debated it, and lived it across so many platforms.

"That shift has changed the whole industry. TV audiences have been declining for years, while digital and on-demand viewing continues to grow."

BBC Sport chief Alex Kay-Jelski has backed the presenter following the axing of the show.

He said Scott is "one of our finest presenters, is hugely popular across the men's and women's game and is a big part of our present and future".

Kay-Jelski added: '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.

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

Football Focus first aired in 1974, with former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson moving directly from the pitch to the presenter's chair after retiring from professional football.

In its early years, the programme lasted only 15 to 20 minutes.

However, by the turn of the century, its duration had expanded to between 40 and 50 minutes as audiences grew.

Mark Lawrenson, who departed the BBC in 2022 after a quarter-century appearing on the show, said the following year that Football Focus had "served its time".

The programme will broadcast its last episode at the end of this season.