This Morning presenters Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond have addressed the long-rumored speculation that there is a rift between them.
The pair have been hosting the show's Friday morning slot since 2021 and stepped in as a temporary hosting duo after Phillip Schofield's ousting and Holly Willoughby's departure in 2023.
O'Leary and Hammond have now admitted that the show's rocky patch some years ago was a 'hard' period.
'We were doing a show that, through no fault of our own, was on the cover of newspapers for 50 days on the trot,' O'Leary said.
Speaking to Radio Times, he added that in terms of the day-to-day headlines that emerge, honing in on specific moments during the live broadcast, he doesn't look at them.
'We'll finish an item, I'll look one way and Alison will look the other, and the papers will be like, "Bust-up on This Morning!" It's all bullst,' O'Leary said.
Hammond added to the conversation, saying, 'You've got to be free to say what you want, and give your opinions. If you start editing yourself, you'll lose the live element that people love.'
O'Leary and Hammond did admit that they have hosted the show when they have been 'unhappy' with one another, but only a handful of times.
Hammond joked that O'Leary's unhappiness with her has occurred 'more like 700 times,' to which O'Leary replied, 'But we have a great relationship. I think I've taught Alison to take life a bit more seriously, and she's taught me to take it a bit less seriously.'
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am.
