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On January 30, ITV announced on X that Alison Hammond would be hosting the brand new series of For the Love of Dogs. The This Morning presenter will be replacing Paul O’Grady on the show after the comedian-and-broadcaster passed away in March 2023.
Consequently, the title of the show will also change from Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs to For the Love of Dogs with Alison Hammond.
Alison Hammond also shared with the Guardian how she “couldn’t wait to make lots of furry friends” as the show’s host. The presenter also admitted:
“I am very aware that I can never replace the iconic Paul in this wonderful series, but if I can continue to shine a light on the brilliant work done at Battersea and help tell the stories of these beautiful dogs, then it will be an absolute privilege to give it my all.”
While Alison Hammond might see it as a “privilege,” the netizens do not seem to agree, with many of them taking to X to share their displeasure at the replacement. Some of them have even questioned whether the presenter even owns a dog herself.
For the Love of Dogs becomes the second hosting gig Hammond has landed since last year, when she replaced Matt Lucas as a presenter on Channel 4’s The Great British Bake-Off.
Netizens call the decision of Alison Hammond to host the show ‘a mistake’
Paul O'Grady shared such a deep love for the rescue animals at the Battersea Dogs and Cats home that he had stayed to volunteer there for six months, even though the initial schedule of the show was only for six days. Upon the completion of the show's first season, Paul was also invited to become an ambassador at Battersea.
Speaking about the decision to replace O'Grady with Hammond with the Guardian, Satmohan Panesar, ITV’s commissioning editor, shared:
“As Paul O’Grady always said himself, the star of the show were the dogs themselves, but the impact that he had and the legacy he leaves will never be forgotten by us.”
The viewers of For the Love of Dogs appear to share Panesar’s opinion, with many of them taking to X to share their disapproval of Hammond replacing Paul.
Some netizens called the decision “a mistake,” while others stated that she was “far too loud for the TV.”
Here are some of the X reactions to the news:
For the Love of Dogs has had a successful run of 11 seasons on ITV, all of which have been hosted by Paul O’Grady, and is set to return this year for a 12th season. The reality documentary show has won several national television awards and was also nominated for a BAFTA in 2013. The airing dates of For the Love of Dogs’s 12th season are yet to be announced by ITV.
