Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond have addressed the rumours surrounding their friendship once again, with the This Morning presenters making it clear there is no backstage feud between them.
The popular Friday hosts have become one of ITV’s best-loved presenting pairings, but speculation about their relationship continues to make headlines. Now, while looking back on one of the toughest periods in the show’s history, both stars have opened up about what was really happening behind the scenes.
Dermot and Alison have hosted Friday editions of This Morning since 2021. They also stepped in as a temporary main duo after Phillip Schofield left following his affair scandal and Holly Willoughby stepped down in 2023.
Speaking to Radio Times, Dermot said the programme came under intense scrutiny during that difficult period.
He said: “We were doing a show that, through no fault of our own, was on the cover of newspapers for 50 days on the trot.”
The presenter also admitted he pays little attention to stories that focus on split-second moments during the live broadcast.
Dermot O’Leary explains why Alison Hammond feud rumours keep returning
According to Dermot, even the smallest on-air moments can quickly spark speculation.
He said: “We’ll finish an item, I’ll look one way and Alison will look the other, and the papers will be like, ‘Bust-up on This Morning!’ It’s all bull[bleep].”
Alison also defended the relaxed and unpredictable style that has long been part of the programme.
She said: “You’ve got to be free to say what you want, and give your opinions. If you start editing yourself, you’ll lose the live element that people love.”
That sense of freedom remains central to This Morning, which airs on ITV each weekday at 10am.
The pair did admit there have been rare occasions when they have gone on air after falling out. However, they said it has only happened a handful of times.
Alison insisted she could still fake their chemistry if they were not speaking away from the cameras, although Dermot was not convinced.
Dermot O’Leary shares truth about his friendship with Alison Hammond
Despite the rumours, the conversation remained light-hearted, with Dermot making it clear just how important Alison is to him.
He said he doesn’t “like the idea of making Ali unhappy”. This is because “one, she’s such a good friend and two, because she’s basically a Jamaican mother, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of her”.
Dermot also reflected on what they have learned from one another over the years.
He said they have a “great relationship” and that he has taught Alison to “take life a bit more seriously, and she’s taught me to take it a bit less seriously”.
Read more: This Morning host Alison Hammond replaced by Angela Scanlon as viewers confused
Their comments come after several years of pressure surrounding This Morning, much of it linked to the fallout after Phillip Schofield’s departure.
For Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, the message appears to be straightforward. They may occasionally disagree, like any close colleagues, but they firmly reject claims that they are feuding.
After one of the most challenging chapters in the show’s recent history, both presenters say their partnership is built on genuine friendship, and that is exactly what viewers continue to see on screen.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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