Alison Hammond appeared to win over the public as she returned as host for the latest episode of For The Love Of Dogs on Tuesday.
The television presenter, 49, got a mixed response from viewers as she made her debut on the ITV programme earlier this month, with some members of the audience at home unsure if channel bosses had picked the right person to front the series.
The late Paul O’Grady hosted the show for 11 series up until shortly before his death last year.
It was announced in January that This Morning’s Alison would be taking up the presenting spot for the latest series.
And despite a shaky start to the series earlier this month, viewers took to social media to praise her this week.
Alison Hammond appeared to win over the public as she returned as host for the latest episode of For The Love Of Dogs on Tuesday
The presenter, 49, got a mixed response as she made her debut on the ITV programme earlier this month, with some unsure if channel bosses had picked the right person to front the series
One person wrote on Twitter: ‘I am absolutely adoring @AlisonHammond presenting this show her bond with the dogs is just amazing. Paul would be very proud of you #ForTheLoveOfDogs.’
Another person posted: ‘#ForTheLoveOfDogs, @AlisonHammond may have been slated by people but seriously…. I honestly think Paul O’Grady would be more than happy with Alison taking on the role, and more so that the show continues and helps more woofs find furever loving homes. Thank you Alison.’
While someone else shared: ‘Alison is smashing for the love of dogs. She’s not trying to be PoG but adding her own humour. Well done #alisonhammond #fortheloveofdogs.’
‘Love the programme …Alison is so caring. Well Done #ForTheLoveOfDogs,’ commented someone else.
As another person remarked: ‘I wasn’t sure about @AlisonHammond taking over from the lovely Paul O’Grady but she’s really making the effort to lower her voice around the animals and she seems like she really cares which is lovely to see! #fortheloveofdogs #alisonhammond #pogdogs.’
Another message read: ‘I’m sticking with #ForTheLoveOfDogs #AlisonHammond is kinda growing on me, she’s not loud on this!! Nothing more cuter than puppies.’
While someone else wrote: ‘@AlisonHammond just decided to sit and watch #fortheloveofdogs as not been able to bring myself around to it after the loss of #paulogrady, I wasn’t even aware you were doing it now but I am pleased you are, I’ve seen a lot of hatred too which is just silly, ignore them xx.’
Earlier this month, Alison’s debut show was met with some praise, with some fans commending Alison for having ‘the touch’ and saying Paul’s show was in ‘safe hands’.
It was announced in January that This Morning’s Alison would be taking up the presenting spot for the latest series
The late Paul O’Grady hosted the show for 11 series up until shortly before his death last year
Despite a shaky start to the series earlier this month, viewers took to social media to praise her this week
But many others pointed out her lack of a rapport with the pups and slammed the host as ‘totally the wrong choice’ to fill the late comedian’s shoes, dubbing her ‘dull as dish water’.
Taking to X, critics of Alison’s hosting skills wrote: ‘Alison Hammond on “For the Love of Dogs” is as Dull as Dishwater. Paul O’Grady she is not,’;
‘How can ITV justify replacing the wonderful Paul O’Grady with the loud mouthed Alison Hammond on for the love of dogs how does this woman keep getting top jobs on TV she is rubbish #PaulOGrady #FortheLoveofDogs,’;
‘I’m shocked just got home to see alison hammond as a replacement for Paul O.grady……NO WAY!! whoever made this choice needs to see a shrink….’;’
‘Sorry Alison Hammond but your not Paul O’Grady,’; ‘A few minutes in and it’s immediately obvious she isn’t right for this show. Totally wrong choice,’;
‘Another great show ruined by ITV that I certainly will not be watching …. What an insult to the wonderful man Mr Paul O’Grady who LOVED all animals #fortheloveofdogs now should be called #fortheloveofGod,;
However many fans leapt to Alison’s defence, insisting she was ‘smashing it’.
‘@AlisonHammond For the Love of Dogs! You are absolutely Smashing it, girl. Danny (our rescue greyhound) & I knew you would ❤️,’;
One person wrote on Twitter: ‘I am absolutely adoring @AlisonHammond presenting this show her bond with the dogs is just amazing. Paul would be very proud of you’
‘Watching @AlisonHammond on For The Love of Dogs and she is amazing!!! Perfect xx,’;
‘Nobody will be better then paul but must say Alison got the touch think he will be happy looking down on his show seeing it in safe hands.’
After the announcement that she would take over, MailOnline revealed in March that Alison had been 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.
Alison 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.
‘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.’
Show insiders say that her fears stem from a devastating childhood memory of witnessing a ‘savage’ dog attack on a neighbour in Birmingham.
A crew member at For The Love of Dogs claimed Ms Hammond is scared of the bigger dogs on the programme (Alison with her This Morning co-host Dermot O’Leary in February)
Paul, who died last March, became an ambassador for the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2012 following the success of the award-winning programme, which he hosted for 11 series
She was criticised as the new host for her lack of dog experience, but at the time 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?’
Alison also told how comedian Julian gave her Paul‘s blessing to front the popular series, after his death last March.
Alison recalled the recent heartfelt interaction between Julian and herself, while anchoring Friday’s instalment of This Morning with Dermot O’Leary.
She said: ‘I’ve always wanted a dog, you know that, but you have to take it very, very seriously,’ with Dermot adding: ‘And Paul loved dogs, obviously. You got the sweetest message didn’t you, from Julian Clary?’
Former Big Brother star Alison told how comedian Julian Clary (left) gave her Paul O’Grady ‘s blessing to front the popular series, after his death last March, telling her: ‘He will be so happy’
Alison responded: ‘Yeah, he text me yesterday and he just said… Firstly he told me he was in The Maldives, I was a little bit jealous…
‘And he said, ”I’m so happy you’ve got the job and Paul actually thought a lot of you, Alison, thought very highly of you, and he will be so happy, as am I”, and it really got me.
‘I’m so so happy I just want to make him so proud in his legacy of Battersea and carry on that work because the charity does so much good work.
‘We just wanna find some amazing homes for some wonderful dogs. I have fell in love with about three.’
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