Former Lioness Jill Scott, 37, won 161 caps for her country. She was part of the England women’s squad that won the Euros in 2022, and after retiring as a player became a pundit at the Women’s World Cup in 2023, as well as regularly commentating on men’s matches for ITV. She was crowned Queen of the Jungle in the 2022 series of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
Was it strange to be pitchside at the World Cup?
Weirdly, it wasn’t. I was just so grateful that I was still in and around the team. I got to go to the games, and I was doing a fun show with the girls, so I had the best of both worlds. I was living my best life. I think Sarina Wiegman thought it was good for the team to have me around.
Did you ever expect to become a pundit? In the early days, was there even a sense that it was possible?
No, not at all. Obviously, there have been people like Eni Aluko, Alex Scott, Fara Williams, Rachel Brown-Finnis and Karen Carney, who have really made a career path that women can have. We’re all very aware that things are said when females do the punditry, but for me it’s just football. I’ve enjoyed doing it, whether it’s the men or the women. I don’t see any difference. I would never let comments make me think that you can’t do it. We’ve got to just keep pushing and breaking down barriers, which we’re used to doing, all of our lives.
Best thing you did on screen last year?
Obviously being at the Women’s World Cup – that was very special – and the football punditry. And Saturday Night Takeaway! I got to be the announcer. It was great to see Ant and Dec, because when you’re in the jungle, you actually don’t get to speak to them that much. They’re not allowed to tell you football scores, even though I mithered them every single day.
Have you ever been mistaken for somebody else?
So, I get a call from the Brits, saying that somebody who is going to get an award is a big fan. Doesn’t make any sense. They say to us, “If you come down, we’ll get your travel, you’ll go on stage,” so I’m getting dead excited. Then my agent rang us, laughing her head off. They thought she represented Jill Scott the singer. I was gutted!
What’s your comfort watch?
It’s got to be Friends. If I’m having a good day or a bad day, it just makes us laugh. I recently did the tour in New York, and it was literally one of the best days of my life. I’m not even just saying that. I was sat in Monica’s apartment. Honestly, I’m smiling now, because I just loved it.
Who do you watch TV with?
My partner, Shelly, usually. We’ll get in and I say, “Shall I put a film on?” and we usually end up falling asleep halfway through. But sometimes she will start watching something, and then I’ll come to London and she finishes it. Sometimes, I’ll go, “We need to watch the rest of that.” And she’ll just give us this look, and I’ll know – she’s watched it.
Have you ever been starstruck?
A few times. David Beckham, when I first met him, at Wimbledon. He was trying to talk about the World Cup, and I just wanted to get a picture, so that was a big regret and a bit of a learning curve for me. When you meet these people who you really want to talk to, don’t crave the picture, crave the conversation. Now, I try and play it a little bit more cool.
Any recent news stories that you’d turn into a drama?
Everything that’s going on with Everton in the Premier League at the minute, with the points deductions. Sometimes, we only see the outcomes of things, but how does that actually affect people behind the scenes? We could call it … Making a Point.
• The Bafta television awards with P&O Cruises will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday 12 May.
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