As a former footballer, contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and primetime TV presenter, Alex Scott has been well practised in all levels of public scrutiny.
But as Alex, 37, reveals in a bombshell new interview, despite her determination and 'survival mentality' the vitriolic racist abuse she has been subjected over the years has led her to a very 'dark place'.
"And once I slip into dark places, I don't stop," Alex told The Times.
The presenter refers to the hate she received for her role on the BBC's coverage of the Tokyo Olympics last year.
"Afterwards I realised the mad pressure I'd put on myself to take everything - the trolling, the racism, Lord Digby Jones," Alex recalled.
During her stint fronting the games, Alex was directly attacked on Twitter by former crossbench peer Jones who fumed her London accent was 'spoiling' his viewing.
"Enough!" he tweeted. "I can't stand it any more! 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."
Recalling the night she saw the post, Alex said: "I went into the Olympics knowing the scrutiny that I would be under once again from all the trolls. But then to open Twitter and see that from him, I was just like, 'I'm not going to be silent any more. I've had enough.'"
Alex defiantly hit back: "I'm from a working-class family in east London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets and I am PROUD. Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent! It's me, it's my journey."
The criticism was by no means the worst Alex had experienced in her years as a presenter.
The worst came when she was wrongly rumoured to be replacing Sue Barker on long-running BBC quiz show A Question of Sport in 2020.
Furious accusations of 'diversity box ticking' were levelled at Alex, with racist and sexist hate boiling over to the point she admits she became 'scared for my life.'
"I was scared to leave my house to even go to the shop. That's the stage that we'd got to - that, oh my gosh, someone black might be replacing a national treasure could cause such hatred."
The Times reports that Alex 'briefly' turned to drinking in a bid to 'drown out the trolls.'
Barker's role as host eventually went to Take Me Out presenter Paddy McGuinness.
Alex was able to move past the furore and continue land a series of high profile presenting jobs with the Beeb.
This summer she was a key part of the BBC team covering the England Lionesses Euro 2022 triumph.
The former Arsenal star moved viewers to tears when she herself became choked up while trying to summarise the emotion on the night and was widely praised for her part in the coverage.
Later this year Alex she be heading to Doha to present the coverage of the Men's World Cup before returning to the UK to front Sports Personality of the Year.
Reflecting on why she continues to push herself during spells of uncertainty, Alex described herself as having a 'survival mentality' and said she fears giving into the trolls could see her 'back on a council estate.'
Mirror Online has contacted representatives of Alex for comment.
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