SPORTS presenter Alex Scott has hit back at a former Labour Lord who said her accent is "spoiling" the BBC's coverage of the Olympics.

Lord Digby Jones, former a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, said Scott needs elocution lessons.

He tweeted: "Enough! I can’t stand it anymore! 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."

READ MORE: Lord humiliates himself in furious Twitter rant at Nicola Sturgeon

Scott, a former England international footballer, responded: “I’m from a working class family in East London, Poplar, Tower Hamlets & I am PROUD.

“Proud of the young girl who overcame obstacles, and proud of my accent! It’s me, it’s my journey, my grit.”

Scott, who was recently announced as the new host of the BBC’s Football Focus, received support from colleagues, athletes and politicians.

“I like natural, authentic accents. What annoys me is people putting on posh accents,” wrote Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor.

Labour MP Dawn Butler replied “Keep rising” and Jess Phillips tweeted that regional accents add “to the joy of the Olympics coverage”.

Golfer Thomas Bjorn, former footballer Micah Richards and ex-rugby international Will Carling added to the many voices of support, while Arsenal Women tweeted: “Keep being you, @AlexScott. Forever proud!”

BBC colleague Eilidh Barbour also took to Twitter to defend Scott.

She wrote: “This thread is what makes @AlexScott such a wonderful role model. Keep rising girl.”

Scott's fans also praised her presenting skills, with one saying: "Never apologise for being from London. Never apologise for sounding like most Gooners. You’re right to be proud, you were a great footballer and now you’re a great presenter. Keep being you x.”

Another wrote: “You’re amazin! Really doing a superb job. Ignore the trolls.”

Someone else said: “Alex - you’re doing a great job. I think we’d all welcome a period of permanent silence from Digby, whatever his accent.”

Lord Jones is a former director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, and was a Labour transport minister and a member of the House of Lords between 2007 and 2020.