Alison Hammond has announced her withdrawal from Friday’s This Morning, citing a severe bout of hay fever.
The 50-year-old presenter, who co-hosts the ITV daytime show alongside Dermot O’Leary on Fridays, shared the news in a video message posted to Instagram.
“I've had the worst hay fever for the last, I'd say two to three days,” Hammond told followers.
“I don't know what's hit me, but it has hit me like a bus. I'm just letting you know that I'm not going to be making This Morning today.”
She assured fans she was “fine” and well-stocked with medication, adding: “I've got loads of drugs, I've got all the hay fever stuff!”
The video included a glimpse of her remedies, from nasal sprays and vitamin D tablets to eye drops.
Hammond also showed off her robotic vacuum cleaner tackling household chores as Soul II Soul's Keep On Movin’ played in the background.
Closing her update, Hammond told fans: “I am fine, I'll see you next week! Love you lots. Sorry I am not there today.”
In her absence, 53-year-old broadcaster Lisa Snowdon will join O’Leary on the sofa.
What is hayfever?
Hayfever is a common allergy that causes sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes. You cannot cure it, but there are things you can do to help your symptoms, or medicines you can take to help.
Symptoms of hay fever include:
- sneezing and coughing
- a runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red or watery eyes
- itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
- loss of smell
- pain around the sides of your head and your forehead
- headache
- feeling tired
Symptoms are usually worse between late March and September, especially when it's warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest.
Hay fever can last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks.
The change was first revealed at the end of Thursday’s show by regular host Cat Deeley, who co-presents earlier in the week with Ben Shephard.
Hammond, who joined This Morning as a Friday presenter in 2021 after replacing Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, has missed several appearances in recent weeks.
On April 4, she was also absent from the programme, with Josie Gibson stepping in as her replacement.
The TV star has been in the headlines this week as she shared an update on her weight loss journey after deciding to take action for health reasons.
Hammond’s mother Maria had raised concerns when the TV star was diagnosed pre-diabetic and she chose to address the issue following her parent’s passing in 2020 from lung and liver cancer.
While the current celebrity trend is to turn to weight loss injections, the Great British Bake Off presenter felt that wasn’t for her and opted to shed the pounds the old fashioned way through diet and exercise.
