‘Things are going really, really well,’ TV star Alison Hammond says. ‘He just has the most beautiful energy and everyone feels it when they’re in his presence’
Alison Hammond says she’s “in love” with her boyfriend.
The TV favourite has been very busy indeed with four huge shows: The Great British Bake Off, This Morning, Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend and – alongside her son, Aiden – Alison Hammond’s Florida Unpacked.
But she she’s going to keep things chilled this Christmas – and is planning to spend it with Aiden and her boyfriend, David Putman. “I’m going to tone it down this year, babes, I’m not going to lie,” she told the Mirror.
“I have been killing it every single Christmas – you know, at least 12 people coming round for lunch – so I might just go out to a lovely restaurant with my beautiful son and my boyfriend, just the three of us. Then I don’t have to cook… or wash up.”
Alison, 50, has been dating masseur and model David, 28, since early last year. Addressing the 22-year age gap, she has said that as David is “mature and sensible” and she’s “so not”, they’re well-matched.
“Things are going really, really well,” she says. “He just has the most beautiful energy and everyone feels it when they’re in his presence. It’s very rare. I am so grateful that he chooses to spend his life with me.”
She even admitted: “It’s a lovely feeling to be in love. It makes you more patient, it makes you kinder, because you’ve always got somebody you want to care for – and they’re caring for you.”
Asked if marriage is on the cards, she said: “I think this is a question you need to ask my fella, not me,” she laughed. “No, there are no plans for weddings or marriage right now, because we don’t feel like we need to. We live together and we’re happy the way it is. I don’t need a ring to show my love to somebody.”
But she teased she’d say “yes” if he did pop the question, adding: “What I will say is, if he asked me tomorrow to marry him, it wouldn’t be a ‘no’. That’s all I’m going to say to you.”
Alison also through her hat in the ring for the Strictly hosting job. There’s lots of talk about who will replace Tess and Claudia when they step away from the show after this series.
“They’d be silly not to go for me with the Claudia [Winkleman] role, up in the gods, talking to all the contestants. We all know that is my job,” she says confidently. “If they don’t go for me, that’s OK. It wasn’t my path. I’ve had quite a lot already, so you know, I don’t want to be greedy. But guys, that is my job!
“You’ve got to visualise it and see it – and I see it. So whoever gets that job, good luck to them. But it probably will be me.” Cackling, she tells us, “That’s your headline: ‘Alison for Strictly!’ Let’s just put it out there.”
And if got the gig, she has a few names in mind for who could be her Tess Daly. She said: “I could get on with anyone,” she says, adding that Amanda Holden, Davina McCall and her This Morning co-host Dermot O’Leary would all fit the bill. “I could do a Vernon Kay, too. Don’t you worry, I could do ’em all.
“But if I was the producers – and this is me doing myself out of a job, really – I’d sign up Davina McCall and Amanda Holden.”
Alison’s teamed up with Specsavers to help shine a light on their Home Visits service, which saw her shadow one of their optometrists on her rounds. “I want people to know that Specsavers have this amazing service – and it’s literally free,” Alison said.
“Nearly half of carers say the people they look after are missing vital appointments and that just really struck me. My mum used to use a wheelchair and if I’d known about this amazing service back in the day, a million percent I would have used that for my mum. Home tests make such a huge difference.”
She also gushed over her “amazing” son, Aiden, 20, an aspiring music producer. “He’s my everything,” she added.
“I love the fact he actually wants to be with me now, because there was a time in his teenage years where I was the last person he wanted to be around. But he’s come full circle now and wants to spend time with his mum. That’s a really lovely feeling.”
Have you joined Threads? Follow Daily Star to keep up to date on all things showbiz here.
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
