Alison Hammond has been confirmed as one of the new This Morning hosts alongside Dermot O'Leary.
Alison and Dermot had been tipped to take over Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford’s Friday slot after it emerged that the couple were to be axed from the show.
The news that the popular pair had secured the much-talked about new roles was only officially confirmed this week.
Fans and friends rushed to comment their congratulations on Alison’s Instagram post announcing her appointment. However it not everyone was quite so keen to welcome the bubbly star.
Reports have claimed that Alison has received so much online abuse that she has turned to ITV for support.
Whilst many people are delighted to see Alison takeover from Eamonn and Ruth, there are some who are quick to criticise.
According to The Sun, the This Morning star has been attending ITV-arranged duty of care meetings. This comes after Alison was reportedly struggling with abuse over her replacing Ruth and Eamonn.
A source supposedly told the publication that “Alison is a tough cookie, but the “vitriol from some so-called fans of This Morning has been impossible for her to ignore”.
They added that Alison had confided in them that “while the Friday gig is her dream come true, staying positive had become a battle”.
The source spoke of how “as a result of the Love Island and Jeremy Kyle tragedies, ITV are also very serious about duty of care”. They claimed that the broadcaster arranged to sit down with Alison and see how she was coping.
Alison was “given advice on how to stay strong mentally". She was also “prepared for what to expect after the announcement was confirmed”.
They went on to say that the presenter is “determined to move on from the drama” and “prove” that she deserves this job.
How has Alison reacted to her new job as This Morning co-host?
Whilst there are some fans who have reacted cruelly to Alison’s new role, the outpourings of kind messages have been overwhelming. Alison herself announced the news on her Instagram, commenting: ‘I’m thrilled to have been given this incredible opportunity. Bring on 2021 !!’
Dermot has been similarly delighted, posting the same picture of the two of them together on the This Morning sofa. He wrote: ‘Thanks for the kind words, we can’t wait. Big love’.
The pair are set to take over as This Morning’s regular Friday hosts in January 2021. And after 14 years hosting the show, this won’t be the last we see of Ruth and Eamonn either. They will be covering during key holidays and will continue to be part of the This Morning Family.
After 19 years working on This Morning, we can't wait to see Alison Hammond make her hosting debut next year.
