TV presenter Alison Hammond has revealed that she turned down her role on ITV’s This Morning “quite a few times” because she was “so nervous” about taking on the position. The 51-year-old, who rose to fame in 2002 as a contestant on Channel 4’s Big Brother, has since become a household name through appearances on shows such as I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing.
Hammond’s Reluctance to Accept the Role
Speaking on the daytime TV show on Friday, Hammond disclosed her initial hesitation to accept the gig, stating, “I turned down this role quite a few times. I was so nervous, I didn’t think I could do it. Even when I did it the first time, I pushed through, and I do actually enjoy it now.” The revelation came as Hammond and her co-host Dermot O’Leary discussed The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman stepping away from her eponymous talk show because she was “too nervous to enjoy” it.
Hammond first appeared on This Morning in 2003 and became a co-host on the programme in 2021. She is known for memorable TV moments and celebrity interviews, such as playing Connect 4 with pop star Beyonce. “Maybe if Claudia had carried on, she might have enjoyed it,” Hammond added.
Dermot O’Leary on His Own Nerves
Irish-British broadcaster O’Leary also admitted to suffering from nerves as a presenter, recounting his experience when he started hosting ITV talent competition The X Factor. “First live show of X Factor, I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous in my entire life,” he said. The 53-year-old added, “You could honestly feel that studio – Fountain Studios – you could feel it; it shook. The noise was that big, and you realise it was like prime time Saturday night and there were 50 million people watching or something. You just had to put that all out of your mind.”
Overcoming Stage Fright
O’Leary went on to say he felt less pressure in his role when he reminded himself to take a breath and that he had “done my homework.” The X Factor, which ran from 2004 to 2018, began with auditions filmed in an intimate setting in front of the judges but later hosted the final stages live in front of thousands of audience members. O’Leary hosted the programme for 11 years.
