All That We Know So Far About Alison Hammond, The New GBBO Co-Host
"The Great British Bake Off" isn't like other shows. For some reason, it gives off a vibe so cozy that the hosts can feel like family, leaving fans devastated when they leave (like when Marry Berry left "The Great British Bake Off," or when Mel and Sue departed). So when former co-host Matt Lucas' GBBO replacement was finally named, we wanted to know more. Who is Alison Hammond, and what might we expect from this new member of the GBBO family?
Hammond announced that she would be joining the GBBO on Twitter in March, but this won't be her first TV gig. In fact, fans of "Bake Off" might even recognize Birmingham-born Hammond from her appearance on the show's Stand Up to Cancer celebrity special in 2020. She also was on the third season of "Big Brother" U.K., and appeared on "Celebrity MasterChef," "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here," and several other reality shows. Viewers in the U.K. may be more familiar with Hammond than those in the U.S., thanks to the fact that since 2002 she has co-hosted "This Morning," a popular British talk show that can have more than a half million people tuning in for some episodes.
More about Hammond
Alison Hammond has an emotional connection to "The Great British Bake Off." The day the news leaked to the press that she would be joining the show, she shared with The Sun, was also her late mother's birthday. Hammond said that she was devastated that her mom wouldn't be able to see her on this new journey. "It was one of her [favorite programs]," Hammond shared with the crowd at the Burberry Diversity Awards in 2023. "The fact that she doesn't get to see it ... it's bittersweet."
Aside from her personal connection to the show, Hammond also has experience cooking. She made Tunisian couscous with lamb on an episode of the Food Network UK show "Ainsley's Food We Love," she's shared her "Brummie" (a nickname for Birmingham) inspired recipes on "This Morning," and of course, Paul Hollywood said the biscuits she made on "Celebrity Bake Off" "actually taste quite nice," although they looked like they were decorated by "a five year old" (via Mirror). Hammond seemed to get a kick out of Hollywood's criticism. Between her decades of experience appearing on television, her emotional connection to the show, and her ability to chat and laugh with just about anyone, it seems like Hammond will be able to fit right in with the other "Bake Off" hosts in the upcoming season.