Dermot O'Leary Hosts This Morning with Angela Scanlon After Alison Hammond's Unexpected Absence

Angela Scanlon stepped in as a substitute host for Alison Hammond on This Morning's Friday broadcast, joining Dermot O'Leary for the episode in an unannounced presenter change. ITV made no prior announcement about the swap, leaving viewers surprised after the previous day's episode promoted Hammond and O'Leary interviewing guest Jason Momoa.

Hammond typically co-hosts the ITV daytime programme alongside O'Leary on Fridays, taking the presenting slot when Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley conclude their Monday-through-Thursday run. When viewers tuned in at 10am on Friday, they found Scanlon seated beside O'Leary instead of Hammond. The network has confirmed that Hammond will also be absent from next week's edition, though no explanation has been provided regarding her whereabouts or the reason for her absence.

O'Leary acknowledged Scanlon's arrival with characteristic warmth, dropping to one knee in mock celebration as he welcomed her to the studio. "Welcome to your Friday's This Morning... and look who's here, it's Angela Scanlon, everyone!" he announced to applause from the studio audience. Neither presenter addressed Hammond's absence during the broadcast, prompting online speculation from viewers about the sudden change. One viewer questioned the timing on social media, noting that the network had specifically referenced multiple times throughout the week that Hammond and O'Leary would be conducting the Momoa interview on Friday.

The last-minute substitution highlights the flexible presenter rotation at This Morning, where multiple hosts rotate through various slots. Scanlon's television schedule remains full with commitments including her role on the latest series of Great British Bake Off and hosting Your Song, a music competition programme featuring Sam Ryder and Paloma Faith. Hammond, meanwhile, has been actively involved in filming for Bake Off's new season, where she discussed the chemistry between judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson, who recently replaced retiring judge Prue Leith after nine years on the show.