Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond have addressed long-standing rumors of a rift between them, with O'Leary using strong language to dismiss the speculation. The pair, who have hosted This Morning on Fridays since 2021, spoke to the Radio Times about the challenges they faced during the show's turbulent period following Phillip Schofield's departure in 2023.
O'Leary calls feud rumors 'bulls**t'
O'Leary, 53, said that the show was on the front pages for 50 consecutive days through no fault of their own. He explained that he ignores daily headlines that focus on specific moments during live broadcasts. 'We'll finish an item, I'll look one way and Alison will look the other, and the papers will be like, "Bust-up on This Morning!" It's all bulls**t,' he said.
Hammond added that it's important to be free to express opinions without editing oneself, as that would compromise the live element that viewers love. However, both admitted there have been a handful of times when they hosted the show while unhappy with each other. Hammond said she could fake their chemistry even if they weren't speaking, but O'Leary disagreed.
Reflecting on the hard period
The presenters acknowledged that the rocky patch was a difficult time. 'We were doing a show that, through no fault of our own, was on the cover of newspapers for 50 days on the trot,' O'Leary said. The turmoil followed Schofield's exit after admitting to an affair with a younger male colleague and lying about it, which led to his resignation from ITV.
Hammond noted that the show's daily deep dive into headlines often included stories about the show itself, exacerbating the pressure. Despite the challenges, the duo maintained a strong working relationship. O'Leary said, 'I don't like the idea of making Ali unhappy. One, because she's such a good friend and two, because she's basically a Jamaican mother, and you don't want to get on the wrong side of her.'
Mutual respect and friendship
O'Leary credited Hammond with teaching him to take life less seriously, while he taught her to take it more seriously. Hammond joked that when she is unhappy with O'Leary, it happens maybe two or three times, but then quipped it was 'more like 700 times.' O'Leary emphasized their great relationship, saying, 'But we have a great relationship. I think I've taught Alison to take life a bit more seriously, and she's taught me to take it a bit less seriously.'
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am. The interview with the Radio Times comes as the show continues to rebuild after the Schofield scandal, which saw a timeline of events including queue-gate, Schofield's brother's trial, and the affair admission.
