Alison Hammond giving the camera a sideways glance as Dermot O'Leary speaks to her on This Morning
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ITV issues This Morning statement following fresh rumours of Alison and Dermot feud

Rumours of a rift have persisted since they began hosting together

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This Morning stars Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond get along just fine, ITV has insisted.

The network has issued a statement on the presenting duo’s relationship after fresh reports of a feud arose.

Dermot, 49, and Alison, 47, first began hosting ITV’s flagship daytime show together in January 2021.

Dermot O'Leary lifting his arm in the air while Alison Hammond smiles on This Morning today
Alison hosting ITV show This Morning alongside Dermot yesterday (Credit: ITV)

There were claims of tension between the pair around this time and – according to some reports – the bickering has persisted.

A source told Mail Online: “They came from very different backgrounds Dermot has been a big star for many years and has presented some big shows.

“Alison has always wanted a less high-profile career and has far less experience.

“They are impatient with one another, mainly because they do things so differently.”

Read more: Opinion – Dermot and Alison should host This Morning together more often!

ITV wades in on This Morning ‘rift’

However, ITV has said: “Despite the challenges of starting their on-screen partnership during a pandemic, Alison and Dermot have developed a firm friendship and their chemistry has proved a ratings success.

“Since the pandemic ended, the pair are now able to enjoy socialising together post the show and have enjoyed spending time with each other’s families too.”

Both Dermot and Alison have admitted that there were some teething issues when they first started working together on This Morning – hardly surprising, given they didn’t really know each other.

Dermot O'leary on This Morning today
Dermot has candidly addressed the difficulties he and Alison initially encountered on This Morning (Credit: ITV)

Does Dermot like Alison?

Last year, Dermot told Fabulous magazine: “We never got to pilot, we’d never read a script through, we didn’t even have lunch together.

“We literally met for the first time in 15 years or so and that morning we presented two-and-a-half hours of live television together.

“The idea that there wouldn’t be a period of getting to know each other is insane.”

Read more: Alison Hammond admits why she kept boyfriend secret

Like ‘a sister’

He then added that Alison is now like a sister to him after they cleared the air over some irritations early in their professional pairing.

“We both did something that the other didn’t like – nothing major – but after it happened we looked at each other, and I said: ‘You didn’t like it when I did that, did you?’ And she said no, she didn’t.

“And I said: ‘OK, well I didn’t like it when you did that thing.’

“And we both laughed, because now we knew. The most important thing is to find out what annoys the other and make sure you don’t do it again.”

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Kaggie Hyland
Editor-in-Chief