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Alison Hammond was obliged to speak to “random strangers” so that they could test her interactions with other people. The This Morning host found herself wandering around a garden centre to prove her social skills, and she lamented that she wasn’t offered any cake – but the audition led to her landing the primetime role as a replacement for Matt Lucas.
“It was a weird audition,” the 48-year-old reflected to the Sun.
“They made me interview random strangers, to obviously see if I’m good with different people.”
However, Alison had already visited a garden centre back in 2020 as part of her This Morning presenting slot, so she was no stranger to the tasks involved – and she soon landed the role.
She was sworn to secrecy for a solid three weeks, causing the self-confessed bigmouth some frustration.
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“Can you believe I couldn’t tell anybody? You know what my mouth is like,” she exclaimed.
There was one person for whom she broke the channel’s strict code, as she couldn’t resist telling her 18-year-old son Aiden – but he kept her secret.
Landing the job has been bittersweet for Alison, as her late mum Maria was a huge fan of Great British Bake Off, but never had the opportunity to see her on the panel.
Sadly, the Hammond matriarch died back in 2020, after an arduous battle with liver and lung cancer.
Alison, whose dad Clifford also died just months afterwards, lamented: “The fact she doesn’t get to see [the show] – I’m devastated.
“My mum was always a massive supporter of me… always cheering me on from the sidelines.”
She revealed on ITV’s DNA Journeys previously that she felt a “spiritual” connection with her mum and even after her death, she continued to sense her presence.
“Before she [died], she said, ‘You know I’m always going to be there with you’, and I said: ‘Thank you mum, but not all the time, not when I’m with a bloke’… She said, ‘No, I’ll be there!'” Alison joked.
Alison will now co-host the Great British Bake Off with 47-year-old Noel Fielding, and says she has received congratulations already from judges Paul Hollywood, 57, and Prue Leith, 83.
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