This Morning duo Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary have been dubbed the Ant and Dec of daytime TV.
The cheeky pair have the same initials A&D, one’s taller than the other and they stand in that order in the studio.
They also have the golden touch as since they began hosting the ITV show on Fridays six months ago, ratings have shot up to their best in 19 years.
Alison says of the Ant and Dec comparisons: “Well, there’s definitely one taller and one shorter but I think that might be where the similarities end! We’re more like Laurel and Hardy!”
Dermot laughed: “I imagine Ant and Dec are sleeping quite soundly! Do we stand in a certain order? That’s a good question as it all depends on the ear piece.
“You need to stand with your other ear next to them. So I normally go on the right as my ear piece is on the right, and I need to be able to hear what Alison’s saying.”
Like the Geordie pair, the two have known each other for years, as Alison was on Big Brother in 2002 when Dermot was hosting Big Brother’s Little Brother.
He added: “Neither of us are the most serious in the room but we have a long-standing friendship.”
The duo will front all of half-term week, May 31 to June 4.
It was reported in January this year that Alison and Dermot pulled in 44% more viewers compared to the previous January’s Friday shows.
Their episodes have averaged 1.3million viewers and got 21% of the available TV audience.
Over 1.4 million people tuned in to watch Alison and Dermot’s first Friday show together on January 8.
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford stepped down from their regular hosting gig on the show after 15 years to make way for Alison and Dermot.
In his parting words to viewers, Eamonn asked fans of the show to be “nice and lovely” to the pair, saying he was “very close” to Alison.
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He shared in the final moments of his last Friday on air in December: “You won’t be watching us any more on Friday.
“Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, they’re going to be here on Friday from here on in.
“Please can we ask you to be as nice and lovely to them, friends of ours as they are, we’re very close to Alison, as you have been to us for the past 15 years.”
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby host the ITV flagship show Monday to Thursday.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV and on ITV Hub
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
