OPEN HOUSE with TV presenter Alison Hammond

TV’s Alison Hammond on colour, candles and Zooming celebs from her kitchen

Home is… Safety, happiness, family and comfort. I live with my teenage son Aidan in Solihull, on the outskirts of Birmingham in a four-bedroom new build with a lovely little garden and a Jacuzzi. Buying the property was bittersweet because I completed in January 2020 and my mum died three days later. When I moved in, I was going to and from the hospital. Mum had come to view the house with me. I remember her sitting in the kitchen, looking out the window onto the forest at the back and saying, ‘Look at that view. This is where you want to be, darlin ’ . ’

My childhood home was… A three-bed council house in Birmingham. Mum was a keen gardener, so a lot of the time she was busy outside in her little garden dress. She was so house-proud, she left the plastic covering on the sofa for ages, then when she removed it we weren ’t allowed to sit on it wearing blue jeans! Right now, I am… Signing a few copies of my new book BlackInTime and reading my scripts for tomorrow ’ s ThisMorning.

My dinner party tabletop aesthetic is… I’ ve got a lovely table that my brother found. He called me, saying, ‘You need this table in your life. ’ When he told me it was £2,000, I nearly fell off my chair but it’ s a standout piece and I love hosting buffets at Christmas, Easter and birthdays. I throw on a nice tablecloth and put a candle in the middle with placemats and napkins.

thing I do is… Take my bra off. It’ s the best feeling when them babylons drop down!

My favourite room in the house is… A living room at the front that no one uses but me. It’ s my special room, where I watch Netflix and write letters, which I love to do.

Favourite housewarming gift… A candle, maybe from Homesense, Molton Brown or Jo Malone London. When I gift them, I feel I’ m contributing to the ambiance of someone ’ s new house.

The home I’d like to nose around is… Adele ’ s new place in LA, once owned by Sylvester Stallone. I think Adele and I would get on like a house on fire. I don ’t know why she hasn ’t called!

My Zoom backdrop is… Theutilitydoorinmykitchen where I can hang backdrops. Duringlockdown,Iinterviewed so many stars. James Corden ’ s been in my kitchen. So has John Legend, Dolly Parton and Ryan Reynolds. Celebrities were a lot more giving on Zoom because they were locked down and bored. Lockdown was the point we realised that there ’ s no hierarchy. None of us is better than anyone else. We ’ re all the same. My walls are… Magnolia but I’ m going to paint my kitchen a deep, dark blue. I need to inject a bit of colour because I’ m a colourful person. The walls have lots of framed pictures and photographs, including one of Muhammad Ali, who my late dad knew well and who I’ m named after. I love to collect… Stamps of the Queen. I’ m fascinated by Her Majesty. I’ ve just got some stunning Jubilee ones. me… At the buffet or, if they have one, in the photo booth. If you have a wedding and no photo booth, it’ s rubbish! Eamonn and Ruth had one at theirs. I sang MustangSally and got everyone dancing, apart from Eamonn, who was watching the football. From my window… I can see the woods. It’ s great when the bluebells are in bloom. In church, singing my heart out. That’ s been a blessing since Mum died. I always think, ‘We ’ re going to meet again. It’ s alright. ’

‘Dolly Parton has been in my kitchen ’

Alison will present Fridays on This Morning with Dermot O’Leary from September at 10am on ITV and ITV Hub

THIS OR THAT?

Eat to live or live to eat? Live to eat. I like food and restaurants. I can’t lie! Quick shower or relaxing bath? Quick shower. I’m a big girl. The bath is a bit of a squash. Before bed: box set or book? Box set. At the moment I’m Ozark. It’s so good. TV in the kitchen: Yes or no? Yes. I’ve got two: a mini one I can watch by the cooker and a big one where everyone sits. Entertain or be entertained? Bit of both. I like banging on the karaoke. Interior design: DIY or get someone in?

Do it myself. I’m all over a power tool. Gadget guru or technophobe? Technophobe. I have got a few gadgets, but I still don’t know how to do my own