I’m a Celebrity’s Jill Scott’s famous swearing TV moment and Prince William protocol-breaking hug and ‘best day’ with David Beckham

England football legend Jill Scott is hoping to try as many different things as she can after her retirement from football to see where her next chapter truly lies, and what better way to kick things off than with a stint in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

The 35-year-old Sunderland native is sure to become a big hit with her campmates and viewers, for the ex-Lioness is known for her quick wit, laidback demeanour and down-to-earth nature.

Many will have tuned in to watch England Women beat Germany this summer to claim the Euro 2022 trophy, and anyone who did just won’t have failed to notice Jill’s moment that went viral.

Often used as a late substitute by manager Sarina Wiegman, Jill had come on in the dying stages of the final at Wembley. Little did the box-to-box midfielder, always seen as a calming presence and steady head during her cameos, know then that she was going to be at the centre of an iconic moment.

After an altercation with Germany’s Sydney Lohmann, the camera panned straight to Scott who could be seen rising from the ground and blasting her opponent with a few choice words — you f*****g p***k”, a lot of amateur lip readers would testify — to prompt a frenzy of meme and GIF creation.

“There was a moment in the game where I lost my head a little bit … which has gone a bit viral and has been turned into mugs and T-shirts (that are currently sitting in my grandma’s house.) Obviously, I wish the BBC cameras didn’t pick it up, but all I can do now is apologise to my grandma: Sorry, Ganny!!!” Jill said in her retirement announcement in The Players’ Tribune.

Jill has since revealed she actually hates swearing, make her iconic TV moment all the more ironic.

“[England midfielder] Keira Walsh said I came on the pitch and was like ‘everyone calm down, keep your head, we’ve got a job to do for extra time’ and then obviously that went viral, me swearing at her,” Jill elaborated. “I do apologise for the swearing, I actually hate swearing away from football but once I cross over that white line I feel like I have to be angry and emotional to get my performance out of me. She did swear at me first but the camera was the other way but I do apologise.”

Chloe Kelly’s goal and shirt moment Chloe Kelly of England (right) celebrates with teammates Jill Scott (centre) and Lauren Hemp (left) (Image: Julian Finney – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Jill was front and centre for another unforgettable moment in the Euro 2022 final, with the former Manchester City player in the thick of celebrations after England hero Chloe Kelly scored the decisive goal in extra-time to beat Germany 2-1 and secure their first-ever major trophy.

“I don’t even remember the moment when Chloe scores, if I’m honest,” Jill has said. “She’s worrying it’s a foul because she shields the ball so well, and we’re looking at her, she’s looking at me — she’s half took her top off … is it a goal?! Is it not?! Then it gets given, she runs off and it was just chaos. The fans are screaming, her top came fully off, and Wembley went mad. The next thing I know Georgia is awkwardly trying to put Chloe’s shirt back on.”

The party didn’t stop for at least 24 hours afterwards, with England Women storming their own press conference and the squad being treated to an outdoor party in front of thousands of fans at Trafalgar Square the following day. “Because you get two shirts, we put the clean one for the party after and it’s actually covered in red wine at the minute – I might have to get some Vanish on that!”

Prince William ‘breaking protocol’ Prince William congratulates Jill Scott (Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Jill was also congratulated by Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, as he presented medals after the final whistle. “I think he broke royal protocol when he gave us this big cuddle, but you could see it in his face — he was just so happy for us. He’s followed our journey all the way along. I just kept saying to him ‘I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it’.”

Jill added in a separate interview: “It was just so nice for him to be there, he’s such a lovely guy, so down to earth and we’re very appreciative of his support. Obviously, he’s such an important character and you’re just talking to him like he’s a friend he’s so down to earth. But yeah, he asked to phone the team before a match in 2019 just to wish us luck.”

It is said the first in line to the throne often brings up an embarrassing story when he and Jill cross paths. “So the first time I met him – that’s why he wrote that tweet saying ‘watch your sliding tackles,’ because the first time I met him was a kind of charity game,” Jill recalled. “And I slipped and absolutely wiped him out! So I’m always a bit embarrassed about that, but he always remembers it!”

Coffee, Kevin De Bruyne and Jill’s partner

Jill’s partner is Shelley Unitt, the younger sister of Lioness Rachel Unitt. The couple have been together for around six years and were grateful to spent their fourth Christmas together in 2020, even though their engagement party plans were disrupted due to Covid. The Lioness popped the question to her girlfriend in March 2020.

Away from football, Jill and her partner Shelley Unitt run a coffee shop in Northenden, Manchester, called Boxx 2 Boxx, with Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne among the clientele.

“We’ve had a few [Man City players in], I always mention that Kevin De Bruyne popped in for an iced latte,” Jill said. “He did send us a message [after the Euros win] and said he would pop in.

“It’s not really in your face football, so people will come in and I think they think it’s a storage unit sometimes! And then I have to explain I play midfield and tell the football story.”

Meeting David Beckham

Now a football legend inspiring others, Jill recalls meeting David Beckham when she was 13 and dubbed it the best day of her life.

She had begged her mother to allow her to go and see England v Turkey at the Stadium of Light, but it was a late kick-off and she was ordered to be home by 10pm.

“Long story short: Stayed ’til 11pm waiting outside the car park. Got David Beckham’s autograph. He had the blond highlights and everything. He saw me holding up a poster that I’d pulled out from an old football magazine. I was holding it out through the gate with me long arms (thank God for them) and he came right over. I ended up back home around midnight. Mam was none too pleased with us, but I just remember folding up the poster in my back pocket so she wouldn’t tear it up and thinking, ‘right, ground me for a month. Don’t care. Best day of my life’.”

Retiring from football and what’s next Former England player Jill Scott looks on (Image: Naomi Baker – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Jill called time on her football career after the summer Euro 2022 win, having been capped 161 times by her country. She scored 27 goals and will be regarded as one of England’s all-time greats, with only former teammate Fara Williams ahead of her on appearances.

Jill appeared at three other Euros tournaments dating back to 2009, when she won silver. She also appeared at four World Cups, amassing 21 World Cup appearances and a bronze medal in 2015. She also represented Great Britain in 2012 and 2021 while her club career took in spells with Sunderland, Everton, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Speaking about her plans post-retirement, Jill has said: “I would love to do media. I think I can chat for England so being on the radio, I love coming in and chatting. A lot of the women’s players have gone into the media and I think they’re doing a great job: Fara Williams, Alex Scott, Rachel Brown. I know this sounds cheesy but happiness is the main thing. I’d like to try my hand at a few things and then whatever makes me the happiest, I’d like to do.”