Alison Hammond's Brutal Two-Word Verdict on Career Slump After Being 'Replaced' on This Morning
As she prepares to launch her new, shamelessly sentimental Channel 4 show Your Song next weekend, Alison Hammond has candidly reflected on a dark period in her television career when she feared it had come to an abrupt end. The bubbly Brummie, who first debuted on This Morning in January 2003 with a report testing a mattress, noticed her bookings dwindling after several years of regular on-screen work.
'That's It. It's TV. Up and Down'
In a revealing interview with the Daily Mail, Hammond disclosed the moment she realised her role was being supplanted. "They got Peter Andre in to do the junkets instead of me," she explained, leading her to a pragmatic, two-word verdict on the situation: "That's it." She elaborated, "I thought, 'That's it. It's TV. Up and down'." Facing this career slump, Hammond took practical steps by applying for a position at a hair salon, where she landed a role as a receptionist and even did the occasional blow-dry. Her mother also stepped in to pay her mortgage, ensuring she didn't lose her house during this uncertain time.
Bouncing Back with I'm a Celebrity and Strictly Come Dancing
The downturn in Hammond's fortunes proved short-lived. In 2010, she joined the cast of the tenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, marking a significant turnaround. This was followed by appearances on BBC's Celebrity MasterChef and a hugely successful stint on Strictly Come Dancing. Hammond admits to taking enormous satisfaction in silencing her detractors, particularly those who doubted her ability to participate in Strictly due to her weight. "I never forget being told, 'You can't do Strictly. You're too overweight. You need to lose weight'," she recalls, noting she was 25 stone when she partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec, finishing in 10th place.
Potential Return to Strictly and Ongoing Success
Speculation has arisen that Hammond could make a return to the Strictly dance floor, potentially stepping into a hosting role following the exits of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. While no formal approach has been made by the show's producers, Hammond cheekily added, "That job is made for me, let's be honest." Regardless of this opportunity, Hammond is unlikely to revisit her hairdressing days soon. Since being catapulted into the public eye on Big Brother in 2002, she has become a near-permanent fixture on screens from 2020 onwards, when she and Dermot O'Leary took over the Friday slot on This Morning, reportedly sparking a 44% surge in viewership.
Handling Criticism and Embracing Success
Not one to rest on her laurels, Hammond has also stepped in for Matt Lucas on Bake Off in 2023 and Paul O'Grady on For the Love of Dogs in 2024. Last year, she was given her own BBC1 interview programme, Alison Hammond's Big Weekend. However, her constant presence on British television inevitably attracts criticism, with some viewers finding her larger-than-life character grating. Earning an estimated £600,000 a year from ITV alone, Hammond remains unfazed by detractors. "It's part and parcel of the role; this is the reality of the industry," she told the Telegraph. "For the first 18 years of my career no one was talking about me; the press wasn't interested. So now they're talking about me; it means I'm doing well. All bad press is good press, I suppose."
