This Morning viewers were left utterly bewildered on Friday, June 19, after flagship host Alison Hammond mysteriously vanished from the blue sofa, despite being heavily promoted to anchor the show.
The 51-year-old broadcasting powerhouse traditionally fronts the Friday edition of the ITV daytime program alongside her partner-in-crime, Dermot O’Leary. However, when the cameras started rolling, fans immediately noticed that a major last-minute substitution had taken place behind the scenes.
A Sudden Switch and Silent Bosses
Stepping into the spotlight to salvage the morning broadcast was Irish presenter Angela Scanlon. The presenter swap caught audiences completely off guard, especially since network executives had actively been running promotional teasers for the Hammond-O’Leary partnership less than 24 hours prior.
On Thursday’s episode, the voiceover explicitly promised:
“On tomorrow’s This Morning, Alison and Dermot are catching up with Hollywood star Jason Momoa as Scotland take on Morocco, Lorraine Kelly is live in Boston.”
Kicking off the live show, Dermot seamlessly welcomed his new partner without skipping a beat. “Welcome to your Friday’s This Morning, and look who’s here, it’s Angela Scanlon, everyone!” he smiled, adding, “It’s nice to have you with us.”
Intriguingly, neither Dermot nor Angela offered any explanation regarding Alison’s sudden disappearance, and the presenter has maintained total radio silence across her social media accounts.
“No Alison”: Viewers Express Confusion Online
It didn’t take long for the abrupt schedule change to ignite intense speculation across social media platforms, with many fans feeling cheated out of the highly anticipated Hollywood interview.
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“Interesting, seems to be a last-minute substitution,” one viewer pointed out on X (formerly Twitter). “Haven’t they referenced a few times this week that Jason Momoa would be in the studio with Alison and Dermot?”
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Another simply posted: “No Alison,” alongside a GIF of a smiling man.
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However, the new dynamic did win over some portions of the audience, with a third fan chiming in: “I miss Alison, but I have to say the Dermot & Angela duo is so good. They’re a good mix.”
A Pattern of Disappearing Acts
This isn’t the first time This Morning loyalists have been left scratching their heads over a Friday lineup reshuffle.
Just last month, Alison unexpectedly pulled out of her regular slot, forcing fan-favorite Josie Gibson to rush in and co-host alongside Dermot. That particular pairing heavily divided the daytime audience, triggering a wave of furious complaints from viewers who missed the signature high-octane energy and jukebox musical segments that Alison traditionally brings to the studio.
