Former England footballer and television presenter Alex Scott found herself at the centre of a romantic media storm after a secret connection to a One Direction member was dramatically revealed on live television.
The Live TV Revelation
The unexpected disclosure occurred in 2019 during Scott's appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, when presenter Claudia Winkleman announced to the nation that a member of the world-famous boyband had been secretly supporting her progress on the show. A visibly flustered Scott responded by nudging Winkleman and lightly scolding her, appearing keen to avoid being swept into a whirlwind of boyband gossip and fan excitement.
"We had to find this out for ourselves because you haven't made a fuss about it," Winkleman told Scott during the broadcast. "You have some major celebrity fans." When Scott remarked that she still had plenty of football followers, Winkleman swiftly countered: "And one of One Direction…" Caught completely off guard, Alex tapped Claudia with her elbow and responded: "That was meant to be between us."
Clues and Confirmations
While most viewers initially dismissed the moment as a quirky behind-the-scenes story, the rumours gained substantial traction years later. In early 2023, Scott openly acknowledged on The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan that she had indeed been chatted up by a One Direction member, though she strategically withheld his identity.
Instead, the former Arsenal player dropped several tantalising clues by mentioning she particularly enjoyed three specific songs: Harry Styles' 'Watermelon Sugar', Zayn Malik's 'Pillowtalk', and Niall Horan's 'Slow Hands'. When host Mo Gilligan directly guessed Harry Styles, Scott playfully responded that "Harry's got it going on a little bit," further fuelling speculation.
This television appearance came just months after Scott had revealed in her autobiography, How (Not) To Be Strong, that she had enjoyed a low-key fling with a "very famous" boyband singer during her 2019 Strictly run. She described how "this very cute, very famous young guy really went out of his way to woo me" and admitted they shared "a few kisses here and there."
Professional Concerns and Personal Life
Scott explained in her memoir that she deliberately kept the relationship discreet due to concerns about her emerging television career. "I had nothing to lose, but kept telling myself that my media career was just starting," she wrote. "If I got papped with this guy, I would always be known as 'so-and-so's girlfriend' and people would think I'd only reached a certain level by riding off the back of his fame."
The MBE recipient, who earned the honour in 2017 for her services to football, has been involved in several notable relationships throughout her life. Although she hasn't explicitly defined her sexuality, Scott has dated both men and women. She was in a relationship with former teammate Kelly Smith from 2005 to 2013 and has been dating pop star Jess Glynne since 2023.
While participating in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2025, Scott opened up about her personal journey, explaining that dating women provided a deeper emotional connection for her. "It's completely different with women, especially for me it's always been about a deep emotional connection which then makes the sex more passionate than ever anyway because you have such a deep bond between you," the 41-year-old explained to her campmates.
Scott's heartfelt confession followed her hint at a possible wedding with Glynne after fellow campmate Ruby Wax questioned whether marriage could be on the cards for the couple. Scott responded enthusiastically: "I will get married to her, just waiting for her to ask, Rubes!" Glynne, who was watching from home, added to the excitement by posting on her Instagram Stories: "I better go get a ring."
