ALISON Hammond has revealed she’ll never change for anyone as she hits back at trolling after replacing Paul O’Grady on For the Love of Dogs.
The This Morning host, 49, was announced as Paul’s replacement following his tragic death last year.
ITV bosses ultimately decided to keep the format, which highlights the work of Battersea Dogs and Cats home.
However, shortly after the announcement, Alison received trolling online for stepping into Paul‘s role following ITV’s decision to continue the series.
Speaking about the cruel comments, the star exclusively told The Sun’s TV Mag: “I was actually surprised with how much I got for doing the show.
“I could understand in the sense that Paul was so loved and people were saying: ‘How can she do Love Of Dogs when she doesn’t have a dog? How does she love dogs when she doesn’t have a dog?’ It’s like saying: ‘How can you love children when you haven’t got kids?’
“It’s such a flawed argument for me and all I would say is: ‘If you don’t want to watch it, don’t watch it.’ That’s what I would say to those trolls: ‘Don’t watch it then. If you don’t want to help Battersea, don’t watch it’.”
The mum-of-one added: “Trolls will be trolls and I’ll still do what I do best, which is TV presenting and you’ll see for yourself, I think it’s authentic and I loved doing it.
“Trolls are trolls, it says more about them than it does me, really. I would never troll anybody, even if I thought it, I wouldn’t go online and put it down.”
Alison first shot to fame when she appeared on the original incarnation of Big Brother on Channel 4 back in 2002.
Her outgoing, larger than life personality instantly made her a hit with viewers and soon after she bagged a role on ITV’s This Morning.
When asked if she’d ever been told by TV bosses to ever ‘tone down’ her personality, Alison clapped back: “I think people would know what answer they were getting, like this is what you’re getting.
“I’ve never been asked to change myself and I think that is just the weirdest thing if anyone did ask me to do that.
“‘You want me to change who I am?’ Nah. I would never change for anybody and I would never be something that wasn’t me, I’d always be authentic.”
She added: “Like with this job, everyone knows I haven’t got a dog, that doesn’t mean I don’t love them. I absolutely adore dogs.”
For the Love of Dogs returns tonight at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
