ALEX SCOTT has revealed her struggles dating Jess Glynne after her dad banned her from showing emotion.
The BBC presenter shared her life story in her autobiography, in which she describes the abuse her mum Carol suffered at the hands of her dad, Tony.
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Scott still finds it difficult to show emotion after being warned not to by her father, who has denied allegations of domestic violence.
Tony left the home when Scott was eight years old but his lessons stuck with her, and to this day she struggles to express emotion.
Scott told The Times: “We weren’t allowed to express emotion.
“Dad didn’t allow us to hug each other or say ‘I love you’. It had a huge impact on us all. To this day, if I want to show people love, I’ll do it by taking them out to dinner and paying.”
So when she first got with Glynne, Scott was even unable to reciprocate a hug.
She recalled the story, saying: “I remember one of the first times Jess hugged me. I was like… [rigid]”
“She was like, ‘Are you not going to put your arms around me?’ But I didn’t know how to do that. We laugh about it to this day.”
Scott is not the only one in her family who finds affection difficult, with her mum and brother, Ronnie, also unable to hug.
She added: “I’ve worked through it all, but for them there’s still that awkwardness. The love’s absolutely there but it doesn’t come naturally to them.”
Scott’s relationship with Glynne has likely helped in her development, though the couple were cautious about going public.
They were spotted together for months including at Wimbledon and awards shows, before going official earlier this year.
Scott explained: “It took us a while because we knew what we have is so special, so it has been about trying to protect that and keep that for us in such a way that it continues to be beautiful.”
The pundit no longer keeps in contact with her father, who denied allegations he “bullied and abused” Scott during her childhood.
Tony said: “I have no idea why she’s saying all this stuff. I was raised in a strict but loving Jamaican family and Alex should know what they are like. I taught her discipline, I did a lot to help her.
“Perhaps she is judging me by today’s standards, I don’t know.
“Parents were a lot tougher back then. But I was never violent, that’s just not me. I never beat Alex or anyone else in the family or did anything like that.”