After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed last month that long-running This Morning presenters Ruth Langsford and her husband Eamonn Holmes will be replaced by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary as hosts of the Friday edition of the ITV daytime show.
But, according to reports, former Big Brother star Alison originally turned down her new role over “tokenism” fears amid claims This Morning bosses were looking to improve diversity on the show.
It’s claimed that the 45-year-old was happy to remain as the entertainment reporter on the show before editor Martin Frizell convinced her to take on the hosting gig.
A source revealed, “Alison has been on This Morning for more than a decade and had never been offered this job before. Then Martin Frizell makes a big announcement that he wants a black presenter and she is wanted for the role.
“ITV decided last year they wanted diversity on their programmes and then they decided to offer the presenting job to Alison. If you look up the dictionary definition of what tokenism means, then this is it.”
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1 of 26Adele Roberts Big Brother
Adele was one of the original housemates and RAPPED in her audition tape saying why she deserved a place. Bold move. She was popular with her fellow housemates but sadly not with the voting public and was booted out with 62% of the vote on day 43. Still, what a stint.
2 of 26Adele Roberts 2018
A bone fide Big Brother success story, Adele is a DJ on Radio 1's Early Breakfast Show. We don't envy her the 4am starts though. Ouch. In November 2019, Adele became an I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! campmate.
3 of 26Alex Sibley Big Brother
When Alex entered the house, it was our strongly held belief that we was the fittest housemate EVER. It was a more innocent time. He came third with 27% of the vote.
4 of 26Alex Sibley 2018
Alex remains an enthusiastic Big Brother fan and recently appeared on Big Brother's Bit on the Side. He is still very hot.
5 of 26Alison Hammond Big Brother
Alison was one of the biggest personalities in the Big Brother house but her card was marked with Alex and Jonny when she admitted she peed in the shower. Bafflingly, she came in 11th place.
6 of 26Alison Hammond 2018
Alison certainly had the last laugh - she's been a regular on This Morning since 2003.
7 of 26Jade Goody Big Brother
Jade's time in the house was remarkable for her constant references to her "kebab", her inability to hold her booze, and her relentless good humour.
8 of 26Jade Goody 2008
Jade was a hugely popular TV personality when she left the house, but fell from grace following a controversial appearance on Celebrity Big Brother. She died in her sleep due to cervical cancer in March 2009.
9 of 26Kate Lawler Big Brother
Kate was the first female winner of Big Brother. Go, Kate!
10 of 26Kate Lawler 2018
Kate is now a DJ working on Virgin Radio in the afternoon slot (other cough Bauer cough radio stations are available).
11 of 26Lee Davey Big Brother
Lee spent 18 days in the house. We don't remember a single moment of it.
12 of 26Lee Davey 2018
These days Lee's looking hubba hubba HOT and appears to be spending a lot of time in the gym or at the football. Which is a pretty sweet life.
13 of 26Lynne Moncrieff Big Brother
Lynne was the first person to be evicted from the Big Brother house. It's got to be someone of course, but ouch.
14 of 26Lynne Moncrieff 2018
Lynne now appears to have a business selling her own art, and she has an AWESOME pack of pet dogs.
15 of 26Peter James "PJ" Ellis Big Brother
PJ's time in the house was made special by an oral sex act he received from Jade. He later denied it happened despite us all seeing it on the telly.
16 of 26Peter James "PJ" Ellis 2018
PJ is now a solicitor and lover of Brum.
17 of 26Sandy Cumming Big Brother
We rather liked stylish Sandy, However, he decided the Big Brother experience was not for him and left by scaling a wall on day 20 after urinating in a bin.
18 of 26Sandy Cumming 2002
This is the last known sighting of Sandy.
19 of 26Sophie Pritchard Big Brother
Sophie entered the house on day ten and fell for Lee although they didn't get together until they'd left the house. The two married and had a son together.
20 of 26Sophie Pritchard 2010
Sophie and Lee split ten months after their son was born and Sophie appears to have stayed out of the limelight.
21 of 26Spencer Smith Big Brother
Spencer came in ninth place. And that's about all we can recall of his time in the house. Soz, Spencer.
22 of 26Spencer Smith 2010
Spencer appeared in Celebrity Four Weddings in 2010. We haven't heard anything of him since.
23 of 26Sunita Sharma Big Brother
Sunita was one of the original housemates but walked on day seven saying that Big Brother "was not her party".
24 of 26Sunita Sharma 2018
Sunita returned to her old job and now works as a barrister,
25 of 26Tim Culley Big Brother
Tim and his, ahem, natural brunette locks entered the house as a replacement for Sandy. He will forever be remembered for trying to secretly shave his chest hair.
26 of 26Tim Culley 2018
Tim appears to have returned to South Africa and has a fancy job at a design company. He still references Big Brother in his company bio.
“Alison was happy as she was, she loved interviewing the likes of George Clooney. She is amazing at it and it was enough for her,” they added to the Mail on Sunday.
It’s said that Alison finally decided to accept the job after speaking to Ruth, who encouraged her to take on the role.
Responding to the reports, an ITV spokesperson said, “To suggest that Alison’s position on This Morning is a result of anything other than talent and popularity with viewers is completely untrue.”
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Although they will return to present the show during “key holidays”, Ruth and Eamonn hosted their last Friday show earlier this month.
“You won’t be watching us anymore on a Friday, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be here on Fridays from here on in,” Eamonn told viewers.
"Please we would ask you to be as nice and lovely to them, friends of ours as they are, we're very close to Alison and she has been to us for the past 15 years.
"We appreciate all of the love you have sent to us today, we send it all back to you, have a very merry Christmas, it’s been lovely having you and I think we will see everybody again."