Alison Hammond has revealed that a final request from her late mother was the driving force behind her dramatic 11-stone weight loss.
The 51-year-old This Morning presenter opened up about the emotional moment during Tuesday's episode of the ITV show.
Hammond recalled that her mother, who died from cancer in January 2020, urged her to address her weight while being treated in hospital.
“I’ll never forget when my mum when she was really ill in hospital, I’ll never forget the day when she looked at me, and she’s never commented on my weight in my whole life,” Hammond said.
Her mother told her: “Alison, don’t end up like me, try and sort out your weight.”
Hammond weighed 30 stone at the time and described that moment as the turning point in her life.
“The fact that it came from my mum, who was like my core values and everything like, that’s the day I changed,” she said.
Health Concerns and Motivation
The presenter explained that her weight loss was driven by health concerns, including a pre-diabetes diagnosis and a family history of the condition.
“I was one point away from being diabetic, and my mom was diabetic, so I’d seen what a struggle it was.
I literally needed to be able to walk up the stairs,” Hammond said.
She also addressed public speculation about her transformation, emphasizing that her choices were personal.
“Listen. People are going to assume anything.
They weren’t happy with me being big; they weren’t happy with me being small,” she said.
Hammond expressed frustration over insensitive comments about women's bodies, recalling how people praised her mother's weight loss during her cancer battle.
“When my mom lost a lot of weight while she was really ill with cancer, people were like, ‘Oo you’re looking great!’
And I was like, ‘Shut up! She’s literally dying!’”
she said.
Despite her physical change, Hammond noted that her career has remained strong regardless of her size.
“My career took off when I was a big girl, and my career is still great now that I’m smaller, so I think I’m accepted for who I am,” she said.
Hammond previously shared that at her heaviest, she weighed nearly 28 stone and had to buy an extra seat on airplanes to avoid discomfort for others.
She credited personal trainer Ellis Gatfield for helping her make sustainable lifestyle changes through exercise and accountability.
“Massive thank you to the incredible @ellisgatfield who started my whole fitness journey… You made my life so much easier by simple changes and kindness,” she said.
