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Alison Hammond broke down into floods of tears as she was surprised with a seat named in her honour at her hometown theatre while filming the This Morning Christmas Day special.
In the two-hour festive edition of the ITV show, the TV presenter and her co-hosts Dermot O’Leary, Josie Gibson, Craig Doyle and Gyles Brandreth will sit down to open their presents from one another.
In scenes set to air on Monday 25 December, as a sequin-clad Alison, 48, comes to receive her gift, Dermot, 50, will reveal hers involves the Birmingham Hippodrome theatre, where she is currently starring in their pantomime production of Jack And The Beanstalk until January 28.
Dermot says: ‘The Birmingham Hippodrome, it’s a very special place for you and a lifelong dream that you’re performing there.’
After Birmingham-born Alison agrees it is a ‘massively’ special place for her, he reveals: ‘So, we’ve named a seat “Alison Hammond, TV queen and pantomime star”.
Alison Hammond broke down into floods of tears as she was surprised with a seat named in her honour at her hometown theatre while filming the This Morning Christmas Day special
In scenes set to air on Monday 25 December, as a sequin-clad Alison, 48, comes to receive her gift, Dermot, 50, will reveal hers involves the Birmingham Hippodrome theatre
‘That’s named after you in perpetuity, forever.’
Alison breaks down in tears at the news, saying: ‘I’m so sorry I’m crying, you don’t understand what that would have meant to my mum.’
Dermot reveals they have one more surprise for Alison as he adds: ‘With that in mind, we know you used to go there with your mother so we’ve got the next seat along, we’ve just named it after your mother.
‘Now, we know also, we’ve talked about it many times that one of her favourite musicals was West Side Story so we’ve put “the most beautiful sound I ever heard, Maria” on there.’
After Dermot embraces an emotional Alison, she thanks the team saying: ‘Thank you so much, that’s the best Christmas present I ever had.
‘I love it, sorry I didn’t realise it was going to be a lovely present … I love it, thank you.’
Alison has often spoken about her close relationship with her late mother, who died in 2020.
Former Big Brother star Alison paid tribute to her mother in February 2020 after her death.
A seat has been named ‘Alison Hammond, TV queen and pantomime star’ at the Birmingham Hippodrome, where she is currently starring in pantomime Jack And The Beanstalk (pictured)
The seat next to Alison’s has been named after her late mother Maria (left), who died from lung and liver cancer in 2020
She wrote on Twitter at the time: ‘I am dedicating this Valentines to my beautiful Mother who sadly passed away from liver and lung cancer.
‘My family and I laid mummy to rest yesterday in a beautiful ceremony which I know she would have loved.
‘RIP my best friend and Living Angel please come to my dreams.’
Alison suffered a double tragedy in 2020 when her father Clifford, who lived in Jamaica, passed away just six months after Alison’s mother’s death.
This Morning’s Christmas Day special will air from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX (L-R: hosts Josie Gibson, Alison Hammond, Craig Doyle and Dermot O’Leary)
The show will also see MasterChef star John Torode offering up tips on how to upgrade your Christmas dinner and EastEnders star Brian Conley and Vera actress Brenda Blethyn will discuss what to watch during the festive period.
British expats wanting to wish their families a merry Christmas will also feature as will scenes from Make-A-Wish UK families who are visiting Lapland.
Singer Alexandra Burke and Grammy award winner Gregory Porter will also perform during the Christmas Day special.
This Morning’s Christmas Day special will air from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
