Alex Scott has hit back at a former government minister after he criticised her pronunciation during her coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.
The BBC presenter spoke out after ex-House of Lords member Digby Jones tweeted she “spoils a good presentational job… with her very noticeable inability to pronounce her ‘g’s at the end of a word”.
“Enough! I can’t stand it anymore!” the former Labour trade minister wrote on Twitter.
“Competitors are NOT taking part, Alex, in the fencin, rowin, boxin, kayakin, weightliftin & swimmin.”
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Digby Jones was trade minister under former prime minister Gordon Brown
Enough! I can’t stand it anymore! Alex Scott spoils a good presentational job on the BBC Olympics Team with her very noticeable inability to pronounce her ‘g’s at the end of a word.Competitors are NOT taking part, Alex, in the fencin, rowin, boxin, kayakin, weightliftin & swimmin
— Lord Digby Jones (@Digbylj) July 30, 2021
Scott, a former Arsenal and England footballer, directly addressed the criticism as she spoke proudly about her east London background.
“I’m from a working class family in East London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets & I am PROUD,” she tweeted.
“Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent!
“It’s me, it’s my journey, my grit.”
Scott also had a message for her younger fans, saying: “A quick one to any young kids who may not have a certain kind of privilege in life.
“Never allow judgments on your class, accent, or appearance hold you back. Use your history to write your story.
“Keep striving, keep shining & don’t change for anyone.
“Tweets like this just give me the energy to keep going.”
I’m from a working class 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.
(1/3) ?? https://t.co/EObv88MVS0
— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) July 30, 2021
Scott, who was recently announced as the new host of the BBC’s Football Focus, received support from colleagues, athletes and politicians.
London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “Never stop being you, Alex. You’ve broken down barriers for young Londoners.”
Responding to Lord Jones, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham wrote: “I like natural, authentic accents. What annoys me is people putting on posh accents.”
Former footballer Micah Richards and ex-rugby international Will Carling added to the many voices of support for Scott, while Arsenal Women tweeted: “Keep being you, @AlexScott. Forever proud!”
Lord Jones, who was educated at the private Bromsgrove School, is a former director-general of the Confederation of British Industry and was trade minister under ex-prime minister Gordon Brown.
He was a member of the House of Lords between 2007 and 2020.
