Relations between Alison and Dermot are 'increasingly strained'

Now relations between Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are ‘increasingly strained’: This Morning bosses face more behind-the-scenes chaos (and it’s not good news for Holly either)

This Morning bosses are facing more chaos over its revamp after relations between its two presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary have become increasingly strained.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal some executives on the under-fire ITV daytime programme are worried they may have to consider the duo hosting more episodes apart.

Ms Hammond, 48, and Mr O’Leary, 50, who host This Morning on Fridays and school holidays, were seen as being able to steady the ship following Phillip Schofield’s departure in May.

It can also be revealed that Ms Hammond is no longer as close as she was to Holly Willoughby. The pair were being tipped to be the main presenting duo when the programme begins its new season in September.

One insider on the show said: ‘Alison and Dermot got off to a tricky start, they had very different levels of experience and came from totally different places but they then did start to rub along quite nicely.

Relations between This Morning presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary (pictured together) have become increasingly strained

The pair were seen as being able to steady the ship following Phillip Schofield’s departure in May. Pictured: Schofield on June 20 in Cornwall – the first time he was seen in public since he left ITV

It can also be revealed that Ms Hammond is no longer as close as she was to Holly Willoughby (pictured together on This Morning, March 27)

‘Recently though things have become strained and it is worrying the bosses, they fear that this couple they put together which they had hoped would carry the show through the tough times it is enduring may have to present apart a bit more.

READ MORE: Fern Britton shares an update on her friendship with This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield after the pair were dogged by feud claims 

‘As for Holly and Alison, they were as thick as thieves. Alison even invited Holly to stay at her house recently, something which Holly then shared with the This Morning viewers. 

‘Things have cooled off a bit lately.’

Mr O’Leary, a seasoned presenter with more than two decades of experience, has been anchoring the show with Ms Willoughby in recent weeks.

Ms Willoughby, 42, and Ms Hammond are also of concern to the chiefs. The two had grown close in recent months and Ms Willoughby had been hoping she would be able to have the former Big Brother host as her sidekick.

But this newspaper has been told that Ms Hammond views herself as a star in her own right after being poached to host the popular Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off.

Meanwhile, bosses are said to be ‘thrilled’ with how popular Craig Doyle, 52, the former presenter of the BBC’s Holiday programme, has become with female viewers after spending a little over a year as a stand-in host, mostly alongside Josie Gibson.

He has been paired with Ms Willoughby several times since Schofield left the programme and This Morning fans have been enjoying their chemistry hugely.

The Mail on Sunday has been told that Ms Hammond views herself as a star in her own right after being poached to host the popular Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off

ITV bosses are said to be ‘thrilled’ with how popular Craig Doyle, 52, the former presenter of the BBC’s Holiday programme, has become with female viewers after spending a little over a year as a stand-in host, mostly alongside Josie Gibson (pictured together on June 26)

The Mail on Sunday first told of tensions behind the scenes at This Morning in April which were likely to see the end of Schofield’s 21-year reign as host. Pictured: Schofield continues to care for his sick mum in Cornwall as he is seen leaving her home in sunglasses on July 2

One source on This Morning said: ‘Craig had been out in the wilderness for some time and recently he has made the most fantastic comeback. 

‘Holly loves him and so do the viewers. Watch this space.’

The Mail on Sunday first told of tensions behind the scenes at This Morning in April which were likely to see the end of Schofield’s 21-year reign as host.

He was ousted from the show a month later and latterly revealed he had lied about having a relationship with a much younger This Morning runner and lying about it to this newspaper.

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