Alison Hammond ‘had heart checked out’ after leaving This Morning broadcast

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond has broken her silence after falling ill during a live broadcast of This Morning.

The presenter, 51, disappeared from the programme on Friday morning as she felt “a little unwell”.

The ITV show began with Hammond and her regular co-host Dermot O’Leary at the helm, however she left after a segment about pets.

O’Leary, 53, addressed her absence when the show returned after an advert break, saying: “Welcome back to This Morning, Alison is feeling a little unwell, so she’s just had to duck out.

“Hopefully she’ll be back.”

The former X Factor host later told viewers that Hammond would not be returning, and said: “Ali’s feeling a little unwell so I’ll be here for the rest of the show.”

Alison Hammond took to Instagram from her hospital bed to update fans on her condition

Instagram / alisonhammond55

Posting on her Instagram story on Friday afternoon, Hammond assured fans she was fine and joked about still wearing her make-up from the morning broadcast.

Lying down and wearing a hospital gown, the presenter said: “Hello, my lovelies. I know you’re all worried about me. Honestly, I am fine, first of all, but I’m getting my old ticker checked out.

“I had a little bit of a palpitation, and now I’m getting it all checked out. But I think I’m OK. I’m hoping it was just a little panic attack or something like that.”

She thanked her 1.9 followers for all their supportive messages, and apologised for having to leave the show.

“I would never normally do that. I would never leave a TV show – so you know I wasn’t very well,” she added.

She assured her fans that she was going to be all right, and thanked the “lovely” doctors for checking her out.

The presenter added: “I’m rocking it. Look how good I look - still got my make-up on from this morning. Lush.”

The video carried the caption: “Anything to have a day off.”

Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond host This Morning together (Ian West/PA)

The TV personality, 51, rose to fame in 2002 when she appeared as a contestant on Channel 4 reality show Big Brother.

Hammond has since appeared on programmes including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing, having forged a successful career as a broadcaster.

She first appeared on This Morning in 2003 and became a co-host in 2021, and is known for memorable TV moments and celebrity interviews such as playing Connect 4 with pop star Beyonce.

Hammond also co-hosts The Great British Bake Off alongside comedian Noel Fielding.