Alex Scott was left in tears after being presented with a photo of her and Bob Wilson on the final Football Focus episode. Pundit Garth Crooks handed the picture to her in-studio during the final moments of the show with Scott visibly emotional of the photo that showed her and the show’s first ever presenter.
“That’s got me,” she said after seeing the image. The message on the photo read: “Alex, congratulations for all you have achieved.”
She later stated: “Thank you Garth for being her today. For 52 years, wow, this show has done one thing, week in week out, it has brought football into your Saturday afternoons whether it was Bob Wilson in 1974 or any of the brilliant presenters that sat in this chair after him, the thing that never changed was you, the fans.
While choking up, Scott added: “I won’t pretend this isn’t hard, as you can see, but what I know is the football doesn’t stop, the story doesn’t stop and the goals don’t stop, the drama, the heartbreak, it just finds a new home.
“So from everyone who has ever worked on Football Focus, thank you for making Saturday lunchtime something to look forward to. It has been an honour, this is football Focus for the very last time and before we enjoy one more trip down memory lane, Bob, I would love for you to have the last word.”
He said: “Alex, thank you so much – all good things come to an end. Thank you to all of you at home for watching Football Focus for the last 52 years, we’ve had a ball.”
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A closing montage of all the best moments from the last five decades closed the programme. Roughly an hour earlier, a tribute to the show was aired by presenters from over the years.
Dan Walker, who spent several years on the show before leaving for Channel 5 in 2022, was among those that spoke on the iconic show.
Scott began the programme stating: “”Here we go for the last time, hello and welcome to Football Focus, we are bringing the curtain down today on the longest running football magazine show.
“Nearly 2,000 shows, we have got plenty of nostalgia on the way and with me today is a veteran of Football Focus, it is a big welcome back to BBC legend Garth Crooks.”
It was confirmed in April by the BBC that the iconic magazine television programme would not be airing for the 2026/27 season and beyond after 52 years on our screens.
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