Shetold Closer she was “ready for love,” ahead of her appearance on Celebs Go Datingand just weeks later, it appears Alison Hammond may not need to search much further for Mr Right.
Last week she was snapped smiling and giggling with new beau, Ben Kusi, after they met on the E4 show following encouragement from her This Morning colleague Holly Willoughby who told her to go for a kiss.
And Alison, 45 – who already had a mock wedding on air with Hollywood star The Rock in 2017 as part of a stunt on This Morning following her joke proposal to him three months earlier as part of an interview – is dreaming big right now.
She tells Closer, “Without a doubt I want the white wedding, and I want the big dress. Obviously, I’ve had it with the Rock already, but I want to go even bigger! I want a bigger dress, and I want about 25 bridesmaids in different colours. I’d have a couple of weddings to be honest – one abroad and one here, and the year after we get married, we’ll probably renew our vows.”
But big ambitions are nothing new for Alison, she starred in Big Brother in 2002 winning over the nation with her infectious personality and giggles before landing a slot on This Morning where A-listers including Harrison Ford and Hugh Jackman were won over by her bubbly personality.
But when it comes to relationships, she takes a less flirty approach and is very grounded in what she looks for.
Ahead of Celebs Go Dating airing - which was pre recorded, she said, “I’d most like to date Hugh Jackman if he wasn’t married or Will Smith… and The Rock obviously. My dream guy has to be respectful and kind, and he has to be really good at massaging my feet – massaging is quite important – that’s a really big stipulation. And he’s got to be a cuddlier because I am a hands-on person. He’s got to be someone who thinks about me -all the nice qualities that I’ve ever wanted. Someone who’s caring and might run my bath for me, or cook for me when I get home… I’ve got a long list, haven’t I?”
CHECK OUT What happens backstage on This Morning? The cast reveal ALL
She’d also prefer to be with someone who didn’t know she was famous, “It would be lovely to meet someone who hasn’t got a clue who I am. Wherever I go I always get recognised, but I like it, it’s nice – I don’t mind it. I always say it’s nice to make an effort with people because you don’t know what you’ve done for that person – you might have uplifted them one day when they were feeling down.”
But the key priority for Alison is her son Aiden, 13, with ex-partner Noureddine Boufaied, and making sure he’s happy with whoever she dates.
Alison adds, “My dream guy is someone who will get on with my son. I’m really funny about introducing someone to my son, unless I know for a fact that this person is sticking around, I won’t introduce him. For instance, I’ve only ever introduced one person to my son.”
CHECK OUT Celebs Go Dating's most OUTRAGEOUS moments
Celebs Go Dating most outrageous moments - SLIDER use this one
1 of 36The fall of Stephen Bear
After a few episodes of Stephen Bear acting as Stephen Bear-ish as it's possible to act, Nadia and Eden decided they'd had enough and chucked him out the agency. Good riddance.
2 of 36Stephen Bear asks for threesome
Speaking of Stephen Bear, remember when he asked those twins for a threesome? Good lord.
3 of 36Stephen Bear
Now we think about it, everything Stephen Bear did was outrageous. Poor blue lips...
4 of 36Joey Essex's burpy date
Some poor old girl who managed to score a date with Joey Essex ended up burping on his face throughout the entire thing. What a nightmare.
5 of 36Jonathan Cheban dates Kimmy K lookalike
This just couldn't have been more classic, could it? Things (obviously) didn't work out, and Kim Kardashian lookalike Chanelle Sadie Paul ended up having an alleged sordid affair with dating agent Eden Blackman. But that's a whole other story...
6 of 36Gemma Collins stands up poor old Laurence :(
Gemma Collins successfully managed to anger the entire nation after failing to turn up to the Eurostar for her Parisian date with Laurence.
7 of 36Joey Essex dates a cougar...
She wanted to dress him as a pony, for some reason.
8 of 36... and Calum Best dates a cougar
He looks like he had a wonderful time.
9 of 36Frankie Cocozza and Charlotte Dawson break the rules and date each other
They were the first celebrity couple to hook up with each other on the show. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. And Frankie is now happily married to someone else.
10 of 36Their double date ends in awks
Both Frankie and Charlotte's dates ended up walking out of the double date set up by the agents after they couldn't stop gushing about the other.
11 of 36And then MARRIED EACH OTHER
Yes, this is a real thing that actually happened and the snubbed dates, Kieran Patel and Katie Champ are still together.
12 of 36Charlotte Dawson bum massage
Charlotte Dawson made an impression (of sorts) on one of her first dates by giving a bum massage in a busy pub. Not sure where that lotion came from.
13 of 36Calum Best stands his date up
Calum got in hot water with the dating agents after failing to show up to one of his dates.
14 of 36Gemma Collins storms out of date after he called her 'a diva'
She got up an left like a diva after he called her, er, 'a diva'. Well, she did show up about an hour late...
15 of 36Charlotte Crosby spits milk during her date
Playing hot sauce roulette on a first date was never going to end well...
16 of 36Jorgie Porter's date wants to see her on the loo
After telling her that he'd Googled her before the date, Jorgie's date casually mentioned he'd like to watch her on the toilet. Wow.
17 of 36Courtney Stodden's date gets x-rated
Courtney Stodden shocked viewers after getting her date to rub sun cream on her chest.
18 of 36Charlotte Crosby dates a massive sexist
When Charlotte told Jeavon (who also dated Love Island's Malin Andersson) that she'd slept with 20 men, he said: "that is bad, for a lad it's not that bad." Despite the fact he claimed to have slept with 50.
19 of 36Joey Essex and Stephanie Pratt find love with each other
They broke the rules, but was it worth it? Erm. Probably not, no. Because it lasted about two minutes.
20 of 36Ferne McCann refuses to split the bill
After ordering a frankly humungous amount of food, Ferne didn't offer to help pay the bill at the end of the date. She later burst into tears in the dating agency after the guy gave her a bad review for not doing so.
21 of 36Tom Read Wilson admits he doesn't know who Kim Kardashian is
But... how?
22 of 36Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks reunion
Megan and Pete had a notoriously rocky relationship on TOWIE, so putting them on the same series was a stroke of TV GENIUS.
23 of 36Kerry Katona's rude date
When Kerry Katona's date implied her children had been a "mistake", she handled it like a pro – but the nation watched from between their fingers.
24 of 36Jack Fincham and the Waitress
Jack Fincham was set up with a lovely girl called Carol by the agents, but admitted by the end he wasn't feeling it. Instead he got the barmaid's number, and ended up taking her to the final in Tenerife.
25 of 36Jack Fincham's first date
Jack Fincham abruptly ended the date he wasn't feeling by telling his date he was "tired" and had "had enough", before demanding she finish her glass of wine en route to the door.
26 of 36Jack Fincham's second date
He then got set up with an Italian called Chiara, but quickly took offense when she made a joke about one of the bartenders, calling them over and insisting she'd rather be on a date with them, instead.
27 of 36Lee Ryan gets pied
Ha! Ha, ha ha.
28 of 36Lady C's sexual innuendos
Just like narrator Rob Beckett said, the woman is an absolute SAUCE POT - just check out her traffic light analogy. Blimey.
29 of 36Malique Thompson-Dwyer's 'predatory' flirting
After getting slammed by viewers for his 'predatory' flirting at the first mixer, Malique offended one of his dates when he was forced to date two women at the same time, and made his preference for Jakeeme clear - with Danica storming off as a result. awks.
30 of 36Tom's birth affirmations
Anna Williamson is heavily pregnant in series eight and so lovable receptionist Tom devises some birth affirmations in case her waters break at work - "which could happen", points out Anna.
31 of 36Amy Childs showed her deep and intellectual side...
When she asked her date, "If you were a sandwich, what would you be?"
32 of 36Malique ACTUALLY fell in love!
And then immediately fell out of it the following morning, after he "had sex all night" with his date, Jakeeme. He was - quite rightfully - told off by Anna and Paul.
33 of 36Liv Bentley walked out on her date
He was "late, stand-offish and entirely humourless" (fair), but his incessant talk of "pumping" was the final straw for Liv, who left halfway through (also fair).
34 of 36But he was totally convinced she was into him
Despite Liv doing a runner in the middle of their drinks, self-confident Otto was still convinced Liv fancied him and accused her of making "f-ck me eyes" across the table. CRINGE.
35 of 36Amy Childs' toilet 'romp' with Jamie
Does this take the biscuit for CGD's most outrageous moment? During a double date with Olivia Bentley, Amy STRADDLED her date in the restaurant before scuttling off to the toilets, returning later looking dishevelled. They claimed to have only kissed... but we weren't born yesterday, hun.
36 of 36Paul Carrick Brunson QUITS
Just days after Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion came to end, love guru Paul Carrick Brunson seemingly revealed he's quit the show after a behind the scenes bust-up with one of the show's 'disrespectful' celebs. We need to know more ASAP.
Alison – who found fame after appearing in Big Brother in 2002, has tried meeting men in lots of different ways, and is refreshingly positive about every aspect of it.
She says, ”I’ve tried dating apps in the past - I’ve used Plenty of Fish and I’ve did a little bit of Tinder too. I’ve did the dating apps, and I’ve loved it. In fact, all of my dates have been pretty good dates to be fair – I’ve always had a good time. However, if I don’t think it’s going to happen, I’ll probably bin you off, but most of the times I’ll just enjoy the date. I think it’s good to just get out there and date. I think it’s important to – it’s enjoyable. I love it.
”I totally get nervous before a date. I over-think what I’m going to wear, I over-think how I’m going to do my hair and my make-up - absolutely everything. I just go out and enjoy myself.”
It’s good to see Alison still in such high spirits, on Valentine’s Day she announced that her mum had passed away sharing on Instagram, “Today I dedicate Valentine’s Day to my beautiful , wonderful Mother Maria who passed away from liver and lung cancer…Thank you mummy for giving me the strength to move forward in the knowledge that you’re ok and with God in Heaven now. I will always remember you and try and make you proud. I love you mum.”
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Alison had initially started on a weight loss journey at the start of the year but admits things have taken a backseat as she deals with her loss but she’s still being kind to herself and eating healthily and going to the gym.
She says, “I’ve been off it at the moment due to family problems and stuff like that. There is no weight loss. I’m doing the food and gym and have a personal trainer. I’m not the scales. I’m not saying I’m happy with everything – but I’m happy in my own skin.”
When we last caught up with Alison she told us she was “great in bed,” and when cheekily asked if that was still the situation she replied, “Babes – once you’re good in bed, you’re always good in bed. Of course, it still stands.”
Read more in this week's Closer magazine, out now