Fans were left shocked when Alison Hammond revealed on This Morning that she was “single” – weeks after engagement rumours with boyfriend of two years, landscape gardener Ben Hawkins, surfaced.
During a recent episode with co-host Dermot O’Leary, the presenting duo were discussing ITV’s new show, The Romance Retreat, which has been coined the “middle-aged Love Island”. After Dermot read out the casting call – which he revealed was looking for “vibrant, single parents from across the UK” – Alison giggled and revealed, “Well, I am single, I’m single!”
But insiders say that, behind the scenes, Alison, 48, is devastated after her shock split from Ben – who she reportedly met after employing him to tend the garden at her West Midlands home – and has been throwing herself into work as a distraction.
The source says, “Alison is very good at putting on a brave face, but she really has been heartbroken by this agonising break-up. She’s had low points where she just wants to hide under the covers and not face the world, but her work gets her out of bed in the morning. She’s being incredibly strong and, despite it all, she’s determined not to let this impact her career, which is only getting more exciting at the moment.”
Alison – who rose to fame on Big Brother in 2002 – has an 18-year-old son Aiden with her ex-husband Noureddine Boufaied. In 2014, she began dating, and later got engaged to security guard Jamie Savage after meeting on a dating app, but they parted ways three years later. Then, while on Celebs Go Dating in 2020, Alison was briefly involved with audio technician Ben Kusi.
The mum-of-one has previously opened up about how she’d love to get married, saying in an interview last year, “There is someone special and if he wants to pop the question, he can pop away. He loves me to bits. He absolutely worships me.”
And insiders now say that her split from Ben has been a blow for Alison, and her pal and colleague Holly Willoughby – who she’s been working with since 2009 – has been consoling her.
The source says, “Holly steps into ‘agony aunt’ mode when her mates go through any sort of heartache. She’s been helping to lift Alison’s spirits by not only being there for her to talk to and a shoulder lean on, but by instilling her with confidence and helping her focus on how many positive things she has in her life. It’s like a form of counselling.
“While Holly and Alison have never been best friends, Alison has been touched at how Holly’s stepped up since her split from Ben – texting her almost daily, calling and even inviting her over for wine, which has been hugely therapeutic for Alison.
“There have been some nights where she and Holly have spent time on the phone talking things through – and Holly’s really helped remind Alison how much she has to look forward to, especially with all her new projects.”
While Alison may have heartache in her love life, she’s been smashing it in her career. She hosted the BAFTAs to heaps of praise, and was recently announced as the new Bake Off co-host. “Let’s have it – the cake that is!” she joked, adding, “So excited.”
She also told Closer earlier this year that she would love to try to make it in America, saying, “I’d love to do that eventually. That would be cool, wouldn’t it?”
And the source adds, “Alison’s had an influx of offers recently and there have even been talks of her moving to the US and trying to crack America, which is something she’s always wanted to do.
“Now Aiden is older and has finished school, she’s got the freedom to go and take on new ventures which she wouldn’t have taken before. And while she’s not making any big decisions prompted by her recent split, it’s something she’s very much open to – even telling pals she might bag an American man next.”
