Alison Hammond has said her relationship with boyfriend David Putman was “meant to be”, as she recovers at home after a panic attack forced her to leave This Morning live on air. The Great British Bake Off co-host met massage therapist and model Putman, 29, just over three years ago when he came to give her a massage.
Fate brought them together
Looking back, Hammond, 51, said: “It was so random how we met - but it was meant to be! I absolutely adore him, he is lovely. We are obsessed with each other. He loves me. If you met him, he has such a calming nature which is what I need. He is not like me in any way. It’s grounding.”
The TV host, who has 21-year-old son Aidan from a previous relationship, spoke to the Mirror about the new series of Bake Off before she was forced off the This Morning set on Friday clutching her chest. She told fans at the weekend it was nothing serious and tests had proved it was a panic attack and she is “all clear”.
Bake Off return and new judge clashes
Resting up now, she will be back on screens on Bake Off tomorrow night as it is pre-recorded. The launch episode of series 17 delivered an audience of 6.1m over seven days. The Channel 4 series so far, featuring new judge Nigella Lawson, is the strongest launch share since Series back in 2020.
And the action on screen is set to get even hotter as Nigella and fellow judge Paul Hollywood clash in the coming weeks. Teeing things up, Hammond said: “It’s very different. They don’t always necessarily agree. It’s so exciting watching. I was like ‘ooh what is he going to do, what is she going to say?!’”
“She likes things less sweet, she likes the spice just right. Paul likes the sweet. He is more a sweet person, less salty so you can see there is a clash there. Sometimes one will be saying one thing, and the other will be saying the other, so it’s really interesting. It’s nice for the bakers. They can take whichever side they want to take.”
“You are going to get fireworks, laughs, everything Bake Off is but tenfold! It’s brilliant. Prue and Paul always agreed, so it’s completely different, which I am kinda glad about. You don’t want the same do you? It feels like a new tent.”
Bakers and final tease
With the contestants ageing from 21 to 67 there is plenty of variety in the styles and personalities in the tent too. Hammond explained: “I love the bakers. They are so interesting, there are a lot of young bakers this year and they are on another level. I don’t know if it is Instagram and social media but the way they have got great experience, well where have they got that experience from? They are only 20,21. How are they that good? So, it’s really interesting watching the bakers, watching them learn and bond, which is lovely.”
“So Gen Z can not only bake but they are like professionals, honestly. They are unbelievable. They are pumping out Instagram worthy bakes – but do they taste good? You will have to wait and see.”
Looking ahead, Hammond also gave fans a tease of the Bake Off final, saying things did not go completely to plan. She said: “We’ve got disasters and you don’t want disasters in the final. But there are some! OMG it’s going to be so good. Put it this way, one person stands out but will they get to the end?”
She was also full of praise for new judge Nigella, with the pair bonding at a hotel meeting before filming even began. Hammond said: “I don’t think I would have ever had contact with Nigella Lawson. When would I? But I realised I absolutely love this person; she is so the person I should be hanging out with. We get on really well. She is very caring, which is lovely.”
“There is so much more to Nigella. I thought she would play up more to that sexy feel but she doesn’t even know she has got it! She is just sexy – and she doesn’t know she is doing it! She is beautiful, wholesome, lovely, kind and generous woman. I just thought OMG she is my type of woman straight away. She told me about her kids, her background and I did the same. She is just a lovely mum, which is lovely.”
Asked for her highlight of the series, Hammond added: “I made a bread-and-butter pudding at the back of the tent. Nigella absolutely loved it. She said: ‘you are such a good baker’. I was like wow. Paul tasted my bread-and butter pudding and gave me a shake. I said ‘are you joking?’ and he said no! It’s my first (handshake). My baking skills have got so much better, a million per cent.”
The Great British Bake Off continues on Channel 4 on Tuesday night at 8pm.
