Alison Hammond has made a surprise comment about Ozempic while discussing the future of The Great British Bake Off and her own dramatic weight loss.
The presenter spoke to The Times ahead of the return of the Channel 4 favourite, which will feature a major change this year as Nigella Lawson joins Paul Hollywood as a judge.
But the increasing popularity of drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight has also raised questions about how food-focused programmes fit into a world where more people are using medication to lose weight.
Joke about Ozempic
Discussing the subject, Alison joked: “There’s always room for cake, even with Ozempic.”
Nigella, 66, appeared to suggest she was unfamiliar with how the drugs affect appetite, while Paul Hollywood argued that viewers can enjoy watching food regardless of whether they consume it themselves.
He said: “Why would you watch Formula 1? You don’t drive as fast as an F1 car. People like to watch food.”
Weight loss journey
Alison's comments come after she underwent a major transformation over the past five years, losing 11 stone after being diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
She has previously spoken about reaching 28 stone at her heaviest and having a gastric band fitted temporarily. However, she has said her subsequent weight loss was achieved naturally, with exercise playing a major role.
The presenter previously told The Telegraph that she now works with three personal trainers and incorporates reformer Pilates, boxing, circuit training and weights into her routine several times a week.
Denying rumours
Despite this, Alison has repeatedly faced online speculation that she secretly used weight-loss medication to achieve her transformation – something she has denied.
Speaking about the rumours, she previously said the prospect of taking any drugs for weight loss was “frightening” because of the horror stories she had heard.
She also hit back at people who have questioned the extent of her weight loss, explaining that her motivation was closely linked to her health and family history.
“They weren’t happy with me being big; they weren’t happy with me being small,” she told The Telegraph.
“I was one point away from being diabetic, and my mom was diabetic, so I’d seen what a struggle it was. I literally needed to be able to walk up the stairs.”
Not at ideal weight
Alison has also stressed that she has not reached what she considers to be her ideal weight.
“It makes me laugh when I see comments like ‘Alison is so skinny now’. I’m still overweight! I’m a size 20! I’m by far not at my ideal weight for my height. But the main thing is my diabetes is now in the optimum range.”
Meanwhile, Nigella is preparing to make her Bake Off debut after Dame Prue Leith announced she was stepping down from the show earlier this year.
The new judge admitted she is “a bit nervous” but “very excited” about joining the much-loved programme.
In an Instagram post, she thanked Paul, Alison and Noel Fielding for making her feel part of the Bake Off family, describing the role alongside “cake” as her “dream job”.
The new series of The Great British Bake Off begins this month.
