Alison Hammond had This Morning viewers checking their watches as she signed off from the mid-week episode. The ITV daytime show's usual Friday presenter has stepped in to host the programme at the last minute following Phillip Schofield's decision to quit.
The news that the 61-year-old veteran presenter was to 'step back' from the programme after 20 years was announced on Saturday (May 20) after rumours were rife that he and Holly Willoughby were 'barely speaking' behind the scenes amid a 'rift' between the pair.
His exit was with 'immediate effect', meaning he appeared for the last time on the programme last Thursday (May 18). But Holly also didn't appear back on the programme after the weekend's news following her decision to take an extra week off work ahead of her pre-planned half-term break next week. The 42-year-old will therefore return to the helm of the show on June 5.
