For The Love of Dogs Show host Alison Hammond is ‘struggling to build a rapport with ITV show’s four-legged friends’ as she is scared of big dogs, crew members say

She was thrilled when it was announced last year she would be stepping into the late Paul O’Grady’s shoes as host of For The Love Of Dogs.

But it appears that Alison Hammond is struggling to build the rapport her predecessor enjoyed with the ITV show’s four-legged friends – crew members say she is scared of big dogs.

Ms Hammond, 49, has never owned a dog, and while she apparently adores meeting smaller breeds during shoots for the programme at London’s Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, larger ones are said to startle her.

One source said: ‘The show is only in very early pre-production filming and Alison is great, but she finds the bigger dogs frightening.

‘She loves cuddling up to the little cute ones but then you come across a massive one and it’s a different story. But then unless you’re used to being around dogs it is intimidating.’

Alison Hammond with staff and dogs at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Ms Hammond has never owned a dog, and while she apparently adores meeting smaller breeds during shoots for the programme at London’s Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, larger ones are said to startle her

Paul O’Grady was the host of For the Love of Dogs from 2012 until his death in 2023. Social media was awash with criticism of the decision to hire Ms Hammond as the replacement for dog lover Mr O’Grady due to concerns over her lack of experience with dogs 

Show insiders say that her fears stem from a devastating childhood memory of witnessing a ‘savage’ dog attack on a neighbour in Birmingham.

Writing in her 2021 autobiography You’ve Got To Laugh, the This Morning presenter revealed: ‘I saw the whole thing happen: the dog took a massive chunk out of his leg and blood poured everywhere. I had to help him hobble back to his mum, screaming in pain, and for weeks afterwards the kids on our street never stopped talking about savage dogs and gushing wounds.’

Social media was awash with criticism of the decision to hire Ms Hammond as the replacement for dog lover Mr O’Grady, who hosted the show from 2012 until shortly before his death last March.

Concern over her questionable suitability due to her lack of experience with dogs prompted her to respond on social media last month. She said of taking on the role: ‘It’s a massive responsibility. And that’s what I want to do the show because I want to find out about dogs, and I’ve always wanted a dog. You know that. But I’ve always wanted a dog.

‘But you have to take it very, very seriously, don’t you?’

Ms Hammond, who made her career breakthrough as a contestant on the 2002 series of Big Brother, has become one of the most sought-after women in television after spending more than 15 years as This Morning’s showbusiness reporter.

After being made a presenter on Fridays alongside Dermot O’Leary, she was hired by Channel 4 to host The Great British Bake Off, a decision that is said to have angered ITV bosses who were keen to keep her exclusively on their channels.

The next series of For The Love Of Dogs is due to be broadcast later this year.