Alison Hammond has revealed a painful story about how she found out she was the next presenter of The Great British Bake Off.
Before making the formal announcement, the This Morning regular was rumoured to be Matt Lucas’ replacement on the popular show.
Despite the fact that the wonderful news was leaked before she could express her delight, the moment had already captured her heart.
‘It was really wonderful, I learned the news about three weeks before revealing it,’ Alison recalled of the ‘bittersweet’ moment.
‘The story was leaked but it was fine because we were ready to go with it anyway. I was over the moon, I’ve been sitting on it for three weeks.’
Alison said that the day it was leaked was really her late mother’s birthday.
She continued to The Sun: ‘I was kind of feeling like was it my mum who leaked this story. I’ll do this on my birthday.’
Alison’s mother died of liver and lung cancer in 2020.
The presenter also said that Bake Off was one of her mother’s favourite shows, stating, “It makes me really emotional.”
She added: ‘Sorry I’m getting emotional as it’s a really big thing and the fact that she doesn’t get to see it.
‘I’m devastated – it’s bittersweet.’
Alison announced that she will be joining co-host Noel Fielding and judges Dame Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood in a stunning voiceover, which was accompanied by an amazing cake-based replica of the set.
Playing a roving reporter, she said: ‘Breaking news, Alison Hammond is joining the team of the Great British Bake Off. Alison, have you got any words whatsoever?’
Responding to her own question, she added: ‘Well, d’ya know what? I’m just absolutely thrilled, I’m gonna be meeting the bakers very soon and joining the Great British Bake Off.
‘I’m so very excited! As you can see, all my colleagues are absolutely speechless… Yep, yep, just speechless. We’re so very happy and we can’t wait to get started.’
The historic choice makes the former Big Brother participant the show’s first non-white host or judge in its 14-year existence.
Meanwhile, this isn’t her first time in the tent; she competed in the Stand Up To Cancer special in 2020.
The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on All4.
Source My Celebrity Life.
