She’s loved by This Morning fans for brightening up their day – but now insiders say Alison Hammond is feeling torn over her future on the hit ITV show.
Alongside her regular Friday slot, Alison, 49, has been appearing on the sofa alongside Dermot O’Leary, 51, to cover for main hosts Cat Deeley, 46, and Ben Shephard, 49, as they take their summer break. And the pair have proven to be firm favourites for viewers, with one fan writing, "Alison always has me in stitches".
But despite her success on the show, a source reveals to Closer that the star is now beginning to question her future.
"Alison feels like she’s now at a bit of a crossroads in her career, and that the time is coming for her to move on and try something new," a source tells Closer. "She’s had some time off this year with her family and friends, and it’s given her space to think about what she really wants.
"Alison doesn’t want to do This Morning forever, and in her heart she feels like the time is coming close now to moving on. This Morning has taken a bit of a hit in recent years, and while Alison loves doing the show, it’s been a lot of pressure on her. The constant stress of trying to turn around the ratings isn’t easy, as well as the early starts."
Since first appearing on our screens as a Big Brother contestant back in 2002, Alison has had a meteoric rise to fame. Known for her booming laugh and hilarious one-liners, Alison joined This Morning back in 2003, working her way up from an announcer to a main host. And last year, the mum-of-one also landed two massive gigs as presenter of The Great British Bake Offand Paul O’Grady’s replacement as host of ITV show For The Love Of Dogs.
"Trying her hand at other projects has made Alison keen to present more programmes like that in the future," our source adds. "She is very highly rated by other execs at ITV, so she’ll have no shortage of opportunities. She also wants to have a go at hosting more on her own and show that she can stand on her own two feet as a presenter. She loves working with Dermot and they bounce off each other brilliantly, but Alison is desperate to show that she’s not a one-trick pony."
As well as thriving in her career, things are also going great in Alison’s personal life. After going on her fitness journey and shedding around eight stone, the star – who shares son Aiden, 19, with her taxi driver ex-husband – began dating her toyboy boyfriend, masseur David Putnam, 26 – with the pair making their red-carpet debut in July.
However, the TV star has been open about the struggles of balancing her family life with her booming career. In 2018, single mum Alison candidly shared, "I’m concentrating on This Morning and being a parent. Trying to find that balance is hard, and sometimes I don’t get it completely right."
But now, the source says that a break from This Morning could also give Alison more time to focus her attention on her loved ones. "Alison’s family life will always be a top priority for her. Her family and friends are her world, and leaving This Morning would free up some time for her there too, as well as allowing time for David and their relationship. She’s worked so hard over the past decade, and as she turns 50 next year, she’s thinking about slowing it down."
