This Morning: Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond open the show

This Morning presenter Dermot O’Leary has hit back at claims that there is a “rift” between him and his co-presenter Alison Hammond.

In a new interview, the host began: “This is only my third year of being on This Morning proper, but there’s 35 years of history to live up to.”

He also outlined why the show had lasted so long. Dermot continued to The Times: “We reflect the country — our stories might be frivolous, serious or uplifting.”

Given the ongoing drama plaguing This Morning, there had been rumours that Dermot and Alison’s relationship was “under strain”. However, Dermot has determinedly refuted those claims.

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He remarked: “The presenters make a difference too. If two people aren’t getting on, the viewers can see that.”

The duo appeared alongside their This Morning co-workers at the National Television Awards this week, however, Alison and Dermot didn’t walk the red carpet together like they did the previous year.

This year also marked This Morning’s first loss in 13 years, as it failed to scoop the Best Daytime award or its equivalent, instead losing out to The Repair Shop.

Dermot discussed his relationship with his co-host in more depth: “Alison Hammond, my co-host, and I didn’t really know each other when we started working together but now we’re like family. I think there’s an honesty to that.”

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Earlier this year, an insider on the show, added fuel to the rumours of a “strained” relationship between the pair.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, this insider revealed that while Dermot and Alison “got off to a tricky start,” because of their different experience levels, “they then did start to rub along quite nicely.”

It had initially been reported that Alison could potentially host alongside Holly Willoughby on a more regular basis following Phillip Schofield’s departure.

Upon Holly’s return from her extended summer break this week, Alison joined Holly as her co-host for her first two days back.

But ITV bosses recently explained that no one would be replacing him and that there would instead be a rotating roster of stars joining Holly as co-hosts.

This would include Alison and Dermot, as well as Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.

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