Dermot O’Leary has shut down rumours of bad blood between himself and This Morning co-host Alison Hammond, calling the reports complete “bulls***.”
The presenter said tabloids often build drama out of nothing, turning harmless on-air moments into fake feud headlines.
Speaking to Radio Times, O’Leary explained: “We’ll finish a segment, I’ll look one way and Alison looks the other, and suddenly the papers are saying, ‘Bust-up on This Morning!’ It’s all bulls***.”
The 52-year-old admitted he avoids reading daily stories about the ITV show because so much of what gets written simply doesn’t reflect reality.
His comments come after This Morning went through a chaotic period, facing heavy media scrutiny and major behind-the-scenes shake-ups.
O’Leary admitted it was a rough time, saying the show ended up splashed across newspaper front pages for 50 straight days — despite the presenting team doing nothing wrong.
“It was hard because we were doing a show that, through no fault of our own, was on the front pages for 50 days in a row,” he said.
Since then, the long-running daytime programme has settled, with its current presenting lineup helping steady the ship.
Hammond also defended their presenting style, insisting live television only works when hosts can speak freely and be themselves.
“You’ve got to be free to say what you want and give your opinions,” she said. “If you start censoring yourself, you lose the live energy people love.”
Their on-screen chemistry comes from a real friendship spanning more than 20 years. Hammond revealed O’Leary was actually the first person she met after leaving Big Brother.
She said he immediately encouraged her to explore children’s TV presenting — advice she still remembers.
“He saw something in me. He’s a genius,” Hammond said.
O’Leary spoke just as warmly, calling Hammond “a really good friend who I trust,” adding that he genuinely looks forward to their Friday shows together.
Hammond recently faced backlash from some viewers after saying criticism aimed at Meghan Markle is driven by “racism” and “misogyny.”
During a This Morning discussion about Meghan’s claims of enduring years of online abuse, the conversation turned to why the Duchess receives such intense criticism.
When asked what she believed was behind the backlash, Hammond didn’t hold back.
“Racism,” she said.
“You’ve got to call it out when it’s there. Don’t be silly. It’s racism. It’s misogyny. It’s all of the above.”
