Alison Hammond, 51, was taken to the hospital for a heart check-up on Friday after she had to leave ITV’s This Morning midway through its live broadcast. The presenter, who was co-hosting alongside Dermot O’Leary, appeared to clutch her chest before being assisted off the set.
O’Leary initially informed viewers that Hammond was “feeling a little unwell” and hoped she would return after a break. However, he later confirmed that she would not be coming back to the programme for the remainder of the show.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 BST during a segment about pets. Hammond subsequently shared a video from her hospital bed, reassuring fans that she is “fine” while undergoing tests.
“I had a little bit of a palpitation, and now I’m getting it all checked out. But I think I’m OK,” Hammond said. “I’m hoping it was just a little panic attack or something like that.”
The Birmingham-born star also apologized for her abrupt exit, acknowledging that it was out of character. “I’m so sorry I left you. I would never normally do that. I would never leave a TV show, so you know I wasn’t very well,” she explained. She added that she was still wearing her studio make-up and joked, “Everything is fine, look. I’m rocking it. Look how good I look.”
Hammond, who rose to fame as a contestant on Big Brother and has since co-hosted The Great British Bake Off and For the Love of Dogs, joined the This Morning team in 2021. She has thanked viewers for their support and expressed optimism about her health status as doctors continue their evaluation.
Palpitations on air are no joke, though she handled it with typical charm. Praying the tests come back completely clear for Alison.
So glad she’s reassuring fans from her hospital bed. That live TV exit must have been terrifying for everyone involved.