Alison Hammond, presenter on ITV's This Morning, faced backlash on Friday after a live segment featuring Prince Harry descended into what viewers described as a 'car crash'. The former Big Brother star was in Birmingham covering the countdown to the Invictus Games, a global sporting competition for wounded military personnel and veterans, founded by the Duke of Sussex in 2014.
Viewers react to 'babes' comment
During the segment, Hammond battled other on-site journalists to secure an interview with Prince Harry. After managing to get a hug from him, she cheekily referred to the royal as 'babes', sparking criticism on social media. One viewer wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'I'm just waiting for her to call him "Babes". She didn't disappoint.' Another fumed: 'Alison, what on God's Earth are you doing? Absolutely embarrassing behaviour! Are you 6 years old?'
A third chimed in: 'What a car crash and a bloody noise.' A fourth echoed: 'Hammond... just an embarrassment.' Despite the backlash, some viewers praised Hammond's approach. One gushed: 'Howling at Alison. You go, girl.' Another added: 'Harry always has some spare time for Alison.'
Hammond secures interview
Later in the programme, Hammond managed to have a proper chat with Prince Harry about next year's Invictus Games. Speaking about why Birmingham was chosen to host the event, the prince said: 'It's great, like Birmingham is the centre point of where so many of the wounded soldiers came back from Afghanistan.' He described the event as a 'homecoming' for many veterans and mentioned stories from veterans in Ukraine, highlighting how Invictus has helped that community.
Presenter shake-up
The segment came amid a presenter shake-up on the show, with Dermot O'Leary co-hosting alongside former Strictly star Angela Scanlon, while Hammond was in Birmingham. The Invictus Games, whose name means 'unconquered' in Latin, reflects the resilience and determination of participants. The competition has been held since 2014 and continues to support wounded service members worldwide.
