TELLY favourite Alison Hammond has revealed how joining The Great British Bake Off team was like a “holiday” from toxic This Morning.
Alison, 48, said filming in the tent over summer was an escape from the drawn-out scandal at the ITV show.
Brummie Alison, who landed the job after GBBO presenter Matt Lucas quit, said it was a relief to join co-host Noel Fielding, 50, and judges Prue Leith, 83, and Paul Hollywood, 57, in a “safe” space.
It was in contrast to the atmosphere at This Morning where co-host Holly Willoughby, 42, confessed to feeling “shaken, troubled and let down”.
Asked about the difference between the shows, Alison said: “It’s like being on holiday — it’s wonderful, free, and you feel safe.
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“You don’t have to think politically about anything. It’s just a happy and safe show.”
Former Big Brother star Alison said she only considered going for the job after “Twitter went berserk” about her replacing Matt.
She said: “I never dreamt that big. I never allowed myself to dream this big.”
She was chosen after two auditions and quickly proved a hit on set. Her excitedness, however, also caused chaos in the kitchen.
Noel said: “My favourite thing Alison does is eating the bakers’ ingredients they definitely need and have measured out.”
Paul told the Radio Times: “On the tour of the cakes in the first episode, Alison was a little bit over-exuberant and ate everything.
“She felt a bit sick at the end and said, ‘I’m not doing that again’. Of course, she did the following week.”
Noel revealed that hosting with Alison was “easier” than with Matt, who left to write with long-term collaborator David Walliams.
Noel said: “With Matt it was a bit weird, because we’re mates and are probably the same low-status person from our respective double acts, where he has [David] Walliams and I have Julian [Barratt].
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“It was more difficult to find how we worked together, but we managed.
“Alison’s hilarious, but she’s not a comedian trying to make jokes, which made it a bit easier. It was effortless and we laughed a lot.”
This year’s Bake Off, which has its first deaf contestant, is back on Channel 4 at 8pm on September 26.
