Alison Hammond was left wiping away the tears from her face after receiving the “best Christmas present she’s ever had” on This Morning.
The hit ITV show returns to screens on Monday (December 25) for its annual Christmas special show. For four years running, This Morning has produced a special two-hour festive show – and 2023 was no different.
Fronted by Alison and Dermot O’Leary, the duo are also joined by Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and Gyles Brandreth. John Torode MBE is in the kitchen too, sharing his top Christmas Dinner tips.
READ MORE: ITV This Morning Alison Hammond praised as Cliff Richard sparks fury with awkward weight jibe
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However, things take an emotional turn in the pre-recorded episode when the gang sits down to open their presents from each other. Whilst all of the TV favourites are over the moon with their presents, Alison is overcome with emotion.
(Image: ITV)
“You’ve got something lovely,” Dermot says. He adds: “So, at the moment you’ve got the day off but where are you performing panto right now?”
Alison replies: “In Birmingham.” to which Dermot asks: “Yeah, whereabouts?” The Brummie fave says back: “The Hippodrome.”
Dermot explains: “The Birmingham Hippodrome. Well, it’s a very special place for you and a lifelong dream that you’re performing there.” Alison then gushes: “Massively!”
(Image: ITV)
Revealing their epic gift, Dermot says: “So we took the liberty of doing something… Can we just take a look at this? So, we’ve named a seat ‘Alison Hammond, TV Queen and pantomime star’. That’s named after you in perpetuity forever,” he confirms.
Overcome with emotion, Alison then breaks down in tears. Wiping her face she explains the reason for her reaction.
“I’m so sorry I’m crying, you don’t understand what that would have meant to my mum,” she says. Dermot replies: “With that in mind, we know you used to go there with your mother so we’ve got the next seat along, we’ve just named it after your mother.”
(Image: ITV)
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He goes on: “Now, we know also, we’ve talked about it many times that one of her favourite musicals was West Side Story. So we’ve put ‘the most beautiful sound I ever heard, Maria’ on there.”
Leaning in to give his pal a hug, Alison tells Dermot: “Thank you so much, that’s the best Christmas present I ever had. I love it, sorry I didn’t realise it was going to be a lovely present… I love it, thank you.”
Alison’s mum Maria tragically died in January 2020 from lung and liver cancer. She was then dealt more heartbreak when in June her biological dad Clifford died in Jamaica.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
