Alison Hammond has set tongues wagging after boldly declaring she was “made” to host Strictly Come Dancing — despite insisting she’s yet to receive any official call from the BBC.
The beloved presenter, 51, who first captured hearts on Big Brother before becoming a staple on This Morning, is now openly eyeing one of the biggest jobs in British television following the shock departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after more than two decades.
And Alison isn’t shy about her ambitions.
Speaking candidly, she said: “I’ve not heard anything, but that job is made for me, let’s be honest!”
Her confidence comes after a long journey with the show — one that began under difficult circumstances. Alison competed on Strictly back in 2014 alongside Aljaž Škorjanec, finishing in 10th place, but revealed she had previously been discouraged from taking part due to her weight.
She recalled being told bluntly: “I’ll never forget being told, ‘You can’t do Strictly. You’re too overweight. You need to lose weight.’ I did Strictly when I was 25 stone!”
Since then, Alison has undergone an incredible transformation, shedding an impressive 11 stone and becoming one of the UK’s most loved TV personalities — making her, in many fans’ eyes, a perfect fit for the glittering role.
Her comments come amid swirling speculation over who will replace Tess and Claudia, with names like Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, and fellow This Morning star Sian Welby all reportedly in the mix.
The hosting shake-up follows an emotional farewell from Tess and Claudia, who confirmed their exit in a heartfelt joint video after 21 years at the helm. Reflecting on their time, Claudia said they were “so lucky to have been part of this amazing show,” while Tess added that it had been “a huge part of our lives” since their children were “literally babes in arms.”
They also paid tribute to the team behind the scenes, calling them “the very best team in television,” and thanked loyal viewers who had supported the show across its glittering two-decade run.
With the “sparkly baton” now up for grabs, Alison Hammond has made one thing crystal clear — whether the BBC calls or not, she already sees herself front and centre.
