ITV has responded to accusations about Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond’s “strained relationship,” calling them “nonsense.”
The This Morning team were thought to be scaring producers because Alison, 48, and Dermot, 50, may have had to show separately, but the network has officially shot down such speculation.
The reports come just weeks after Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were said to be ‘barely communicating’ after it was revealed that their love has cooled behind closed doors.
After confessing a ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a young male show runner, Schofield, 61, resigned from This Morning and then from all his ITV duties, including presenting the British Soap Awards.
Meanwhile, when Holly was away from the show, Alison and Dermot filled in, while simultaneously competing to replace Schofield on the show.
However, earlier today, a source said: ‘Alison and Dermot got off to a tricky start, they had very different levels of experience and came from totally different places but they then did start to rub along quite nicely.
The insider continued to Mail on Sunday: ‘Recently though things have become strained and it is worrying the bosses, they fear that this couple they put together which they had hoped would carry the show through the tough times it is enduring may have to present apart a bit more.’
They added that Alison and Holly’s relationship has also ‘cooled off a bit lately’ despite once being ‘as thick as thieves’.
ITV has since addressed the rumours, with a source saying: ‘This is absolute nonsense. There’s no tension between Alison and Dermot, quite the opposite.’
An ITV spokesperson added: ‘Alison, Dermot and Holly are all valued members of the This Morning family and all enjoy working together on the show, as well as having friendships outside of the show.’
This follows reports that ITV executives wanted to ‘lock in’ Alison with a deal worth £500,000 per year.
A source recently stated that ITV executives were looking into game show ventures and light entertainment alternatives for the 48-year-old, who was unveiled as the new Great British Bake Off presenter this year.
An insider shared: ‘ITV bosses want to cut a new deal with Alison. They are seriously worried about Holly talking to the BBC and fear she could be next.
‘She is incredibly popular and is perceived as very honest – which is worth a lot following Phillip’s admission that he lied to everyone.’
They added to the Mirror: ‘They want to lock her in, and there has even been talk of a golden handcuffs deal solely for entertainment shows with ITV.’
A arrangement like that might net her a salary of up to £500,000 per year, according to the source, although there are “currently no preparations in place for it.”
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
Source My Celebrity Life.
