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This Morning: Alison Hammond breaks down during heartbreaking phone-in

Alison opened up about her weight struggles

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond broke down in tears during an emotional phone-in today.

The star, 47, became overcome with emotion today as she opened up about her weight during a call with a viewer.

‘Jean’ had phoned into the programme to get advice from Deidre Sanders about her daughter’s eating habits.

Alison Hammond breaks down on This Morning
Alison broke down on This Morning today (Credit: ITV)

What happened on This Morning today?

‘Jean’ became tearful as she expressed her worries about her 17-year-old daughter’s eating.

Read more: This Morning viewers stunned as Alison Hammond reveals her age

She said: “She’s 17 and a binge-eater. She gets stuff delivered at night when I’m asleep from McDonald’s and things like that.

“Not so much now, but at the other property where we lived she did it. I just don’t know where to go really.”

Alison Hammond breaks down on This Morning
Alison said she’s had obesity “all her life” (Credit: ITV)

‘Jean’ added: “I’ve had her to the doctors twice and they’ve said she’s on the eating disorder list but because she’s not anorexic or bulimic, she’s not bad.

“There’s no support really.”

Deidre told ‘Jean’ that she was going to call her off-air and recommended that she also gets in touch with the B-eat (Beat Eating Disorders) Association.

What did Alison Hammond say?

Alison then became tearful as she opened up about her own weight struggles.

Alison Hammond breaks down on This Morning
Deidre and Dermot comforted Alison (Credit: ITV)

She said: “Can I just say something because obviously I’ve had… I’m getting upset now.

“I’ve had obesity all my life and your regulation system is out of whack. So you can’t control wanting to eat all the time.”

She continued: “What people don’t realise is obesity is a disease. You can’t help wanting to eat all the time.”

Alison then broke down as her co-star Dermot O’Leary and Deidre comforted her.

Alison Hammond breaks down on This Morning
Viewers praised Alison for opening up and supported her (Credit: ITV)

She said: “I think people look down on people just because they’re so big and they can’t actually help it when they’ve actually got a disease.

“When you’re in it, it’s really difficult. You want to eat and you want all the bad things. And you know you don’t look great.

“Sorry it really touches me. NHS needs to see it more as a disease. People help people who are anorexic but they don’t help people who are overweight.”

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Dermot told Alison: “Do you know what Al, you opening up like that maybe that girl is watching.”

Alison tearfully said: “It’s so hard, people don’t realise. I’m so sorry.”

Deidre then got up and gave Alison a cuddle as Dermot held her hand.

Read more: Alison Hammond ‘devastated’ as This Morning colleague leaves show

Viewers also took to Twitter to show support to Alison as one said: “Oh Alison, you made me cry! I’m exactly the same, it’s a daily struggle. #ThisMorning thank you for that.”

Another wrote: “Alison showing her vulnerability and her struggles on TV is why I love her so much. She’s so relatable for so many people! I just wanted to cuddle her.”

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)