Shropshire Star

No further action in case of man arrested over Alison Hammond blackmail claims

West Midlands Police had arrested a 36-year-old man on suspicion of blackmail last year.

By Charlotte McLaughlin, contributor By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
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Prosecutors will take no further action after a man was arrested on suspicion of blackmailing TV presenter Alison Hammond.

Reports emerged in March last year that Hammond, who co-presents ITV’s This Morning and The Great British Bake Off, had been blackmailed for large sums of money.

It was alleged that a man had threatened to spread lies about her if she did not cooperate with demands.

A 36-year-old-man from Warwickshire was arrested by West Midlands Police on suspicion of blackmail last year and later released.

In a statement on Saturday, the force said: “We carried out a thorough investigation and submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service for assessment.

Alison Hammond arrives for the 2023 National Television Awards in London
TV presenter Alison Hammond (Lucy North/PA)

“CPS has concluded that there will be no further action. We have passed on this information to all parties involved.”

Birmingham-born Hammond, who rose to fame on Big Brother in 2002, co-hosts ITV daytime show This Morning with Dermot O’Leary and took over from comedian Matt Lucas in 2023 to co-present Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off alongside comedian Noel Fielding.

The TV personality has also been in reality shows I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity Coach Trip, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity MasterChef, and appeared alongside actor Richard E Grant to host the 2023 Baftas.

Hammond is also set to host Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend, which sees her spend 48 hours with various celebrities in a new BBC interview show, next year.

Hammond’s representatives and the CPS have been contacted for comment.