Alison Hammond has rejected a huge pay rise to replace Holly Willoughby and host This Morning four times a week.
Following Holly's shock exit last October, bosses were “desperate” for the presenter to take over.
Alison co-hosts This Morning with Dermot O'Leary on a Friday and also hosts other big shows such as The Great British Bake Off.
An ITV source told the Mirror she turned down the job: “Alison has been a long-time favorite of bosses.” She is very popular with viewers and celebrities often ask her out when they appear on the sofa.
“She’s happy to step in, but has politely declined the job more than once.”
Alison Hammond has rejected a huge pay rise to replace Holly Willoughby and host This Morning four times a week
Following Holly's shock exit last October, bosses were “desperate” for the presenter to take over
This comes after Emma Willis emerged as bookies' favorite to play Holly on This Morning after impressing viewers with her accomplished performance.
And her undeniable popularity has been duly noted by the bookies: Ladbrokes gives her an 11/10 chance of landing the coveted role as full-time presenter.
Ladbrokes' Nicola McGeady said: “Emma Willis made a huge impact on This Morning today and after sparking an immediate flood of betting, she is the new favorite to replace Holly Willoughby.”
Show regular Alison Hammond has odds of 2/1, Josie Gibson has odds of 5/2/1, Rochelle Humes has odds of 6/1, Kate Garraway has odds of 10/1 and Storm Huntley has odds of 14 /1, while Abbey Clancy and Angela Scanlon are odds on a draw at 16/1.
Meanwhile, Rylan was considered bookmakers' favorite to replace Phillip Schofield and get a permanent place on the show, with William Hill revealing his odds were at 5/4.
Rylan is currently a rotating presenter Monday to Thursday alongside Josie, Craig Doyle, Rochelle and Ben Shepherd.
Alison co-hosts This Morning with Dermot O'Leary on a Friday and also hosts other big shows such as The Great British Bake Off
Holly left the show last month “for the sake of her family” after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnapping and murder plot, and has not been permanently replaced since (pictured with Phil).
Holly left the show last month “for the sake of her family” after discovering she was the target of a foiled kidnapping and murder plot, and has not been permanently replaced since.
This came five months after Phillip's departure, after his affair with a young male showrunner became public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host Holly.
ITV bosses have been looking for a permanent duo to host This Morning from Monday to Thursday, rather than continuing with rotating presenters.
Cat Deeley is said to have turned down the presenting job after impressing her bosses with her guest lecture last month.
She was a huge hit with viewers, who praised her as “brilliant”, “amazing” and “a breath of fresh air”.
However, the 47-year-old decided to return to America to host So You Think You Can Dance instead.
Likewise, Christine Lampard is said to be “adored” by ITV executives but has refused to work full-time.
It came five months after Phillip's departure after his affair with a young male showrunner became public, followed by claims of an increasingly strained relationship with his co-host Holly (pictured with Holly in 2018).
ITV sources say there is further “potential in the mix”, adding: “Bosses are happy to wait to get it right.”
“They don't rush things and wait until they find the right pairing.” It was always the goal to have a lasting duo alongside Alison and Dermot [O’Leary].
“But the surprising bright spot in such a difficult year for everyone on the show was the success of the presenter mix – some of the country’s most popular faces changed.”
ITV insiders say ratings have risen since Holly's departure, with November and December seeing the highest ratings of 2023 and peak viewers surpassing one million.