When Alex Scott and Jess Glynne were spotted embracing during a coffee date in London, it was the first hint that there was a new power duo on the celebrity scene.
The BBC sports presenter and singer both have an impressive array of achievements to their name: Alex, 39, is a pioneer for women in the male dominated space of football punditry, while Jess is a Brit Award-nominated pop star who has scored a record-breaking number of No1 records.
And now brand experts predict that together as a couple they could ‘become the new power players’ of the UK celebrity scene due to their appeal to so many different demographics.
Speaking to Femail, branding expert Hayley Knight said: ‘Couples have great brand power when it comes to partnerships and endorsements, and Jess and Alex have a lot going for them.
‘They are both incredibly talented and influential in their own right, and have proven longevity, and already have various different avenues of income individually.
Alex Scott and Jess Glynne at the British GQ Men Of The Year Awards at the Royal Opera House on November 15, 2023 in London
‘They are also both incredibly relatable, and appeal to different audiences, so as a couple, their brand and earning power is doubled, and opens them up to further opportunities.
‘The one thing I would warn against, is due to their LGBT relationship, many brands will see this as a marketing angle, so it’s important they select their partnerships wisely, and work with companies already supporting the community, rather than just using them to pinkwash.
‘But both are incredibly genuine, and I don’t think this will be a problem, and we could see some really cool brand partnerships with them in the world of sport, music, women’s rights and even fashion, given their recent stunning (and matching) red carpet looks, both on social media, and advertising campaigns.
‘Both are incredibly honest and outspoken as well, so I think we could see some ambassadorships in the pipeline as well for causes that they’re committed to. I think as a couple, both Jess and Alex could really do some good!
‘Individually, both Jess and Alex, have seen a year on year increase in their earnings, both through endorsements, and their careers, seeing well over 6 figures.
‘Coming together, their talent, appeal and brand power have the potential to help them both reach 7 figures, and as long as they choose relevant and impactful partnerships, they have the potential to create a real, long lasting impact with their work.’
Meanwhile, brand expert Emily Austen believes Alex and Jess have the power to be a new power couple, with their earning potential set to match.
Emily said: ‘So far, they have been received favourably by the public, in part because their chose to keep their relationship a secret.
Alex Scott and Jess Glynne have suitably become the new hot celebrity couple of the moment according to a brand expert
Alex and Jess’s ‘secret relationship’ came to light last month after they were spotted kissing during a coffee date in London
‘For sure that creates an authentic sense of two people wanting to get to know each other, and learn their relationship in private.
‘Both women are successful in their own right, and in very different careers. As such, the power of joining their two fan bases is a key part of how to maximise their earning potential.
‘Whilst some brands might see working with Alex and Jess as an easy ticket to virtue signalling regarding their commitment to LGBTQ+ issues, it’s unlikely the couple will be looking for this sort of brand alignment.
‘Both have been strong advocates of the community and therefore will be more shrewd.
‘They do have earning potential together, especially in terms of event attendance, however, we are likely to see high profile brand affiliation for them as individuals.
‘Larger, longer term deals are likely to run upwards of £500,000. We have seen brands trend more towards long term alignment rather than one off branding deals.’
Alex, 39, previously captained the England football team and mostly played as a right-back for Arsenal during her sporting career.
She was inducted into the England Football Hall of Fame in 2019 and now works as a pundit for BBC Sport and Sky Sports, and was named last month on the Black Powerlist, honouring the most powerful people of African, African-Caribbean and African-American heritage in Britain.
However, her ascent to the top has been marred by difficulties.
BBC Sport pundit Alex Scott ahead of the Barclays Women’s Super League match at the Joie Stadium, Manchester, on Sunday October 8, 2023
Jess Glynne performs on stage at The Hawley Arms, celebrating the launch of her new single ‘Friend of Mine’ in London on 24 October 2023
She previously revealed how racist and sexist abuse from online trolls left her scared for her life as she turned to drink, admitting she has the tendency to slip into ‘dark places’ sometimes.
She said she received a barrage of abusive messages after she was inaccurately named as Sue Barker’s replacement on BBC sports quiz show, A Question of Sport.
Speaking to The Times, she said the vitriol was so bad she was worried for her own safety, as death threats flooded her inbox.
She also revealed she has also been targeted for her background, as a working-class girl who grew up in a tower block in Poplar, east London.
While Jess has also been on the receiving end of trolls and in 2021, she deleted her social media accounts.
The decision came to deactivate her social media after being relentlessly trolled following her apology for using a transphobic slur.
She had allegedly been told to ‘go die’ in vile messages and now feels her online relationship with fans has been ‘ruined,’ after facing backlash for using the slur during an interview on a podcast.
Jess had previously issued a lengthy Instagram apology vowing to ‘educate’ herself after sparking outrage by telling a story that included the transphobic slur.
A source told The Sun at the time that Jess decided to shut down her accounts in a bid to ‘escape’ the vile trolling she’d received and feels she’s being ‘relentlessly punished’ for a mistake which she had apologised for.
The pair were spotted enjoying a few beers at a pub in London during the summer
Alex and Jess had a conversation on stage during day 2 of the Advertising Week Europe in London
They said: ‘It’s sad, because she had great relationships with her fans online, but that has been ruined.
‘This has been an incredibly difficult experience for her, especially at a time when she has been in lockdown and unable to distract herself.’
While at the start of this year Jess opened up about a ‘deeply unhappy’ time in her life after the ‘tragic’ death of a close friend.
The singer returned to Instagram to issue a candid update on her music and where she has been for the past few years.
In a lengthy hand-written letter, uploaded as an Instagram post, she wrote: ‘I want to re-introduce myself.
‘It has been a while, a lot of time has passed and a lot has changed. In 2021 I lost a friend in a really tragic way and it has changed the way I see and feel life.
‘I was deeply unhappy and I was so lost in my career and I felt trapped by people who didn’t believe in me during such a sensitive time.
‘I made a decision to walk away from all that negativity and start again because I saw how short life is and how important it is to look after you.
‘This was probably one of the toughest, scariest things I have ever done and at the time I had no idea how it would work out but I had to put my happiness and my mental health first no matter what.’
Opening up about the toll the last few years have taken, Jess added: ‘These past (three) years have been the most trialling on me emotionally and physically but I feel as though they have made me the best version of myself.
It comes after they were spotted sitting next to each other at the Attitude Awards 2023 at The Roundhouse in Camden, London, last month
Alex and Jess sat next to each other during day two of Wimbledon back in July and in August they were pictured enjoying a drink at the pub
Alex and Jess sat next to each other during day two of Wimbledon back in July and in August they were pictured enjoying a drink at the pub.
And recently the duo both attended the premiere of David Beckham’s Netflix documentary but didn’t pose for a photo together.
Following Jess and Alex’s ‘relationship’, a friend told The Sun: ‘Alex and Jess have been a slow burn and they didn’t want to rush things or go public too soon.
‘But they’re officially an item now and seem really happy. They are both strong, independent women with a shared passion and respect of their respective careers, supporting one another from the sidelines.
‘It’s still early days for them, but they’ve met one another’s mates and everyone is super happy for them.’
While last month the pair were pictured together getting out of a taxi as they arrived at The Hawley Arms in Camden, north London, for an intimate gig to celebrate Jess’ new single, Friend Of Mine.
The singer partied with her fans, friends, family and even made it ‘official’ with Alex as they arrived and departed together.
It comes after they were spotted sitting next to each other at the Attitude Awards 2023 at The Roundhouse in Camden, London, last month.
Onlookers spotted Jess and Alex arrive to the event in the same car but they made a conscious effort to exit the vehicle separately.
They also took to the red carpet separately and each posed alone in their racy lace ensembles, before heading inside to the LGBTQ+ awards ceremony.
However later on in the evening, the rumoured couple were spotted sitting next to each other as they chatted with other guests, including Ashley Roberts.
The sighting will do little to fan the flames of speculation that the two women are in a romantic relationship.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
