Alison Hammond is the new presenter of Paul O'Grady's iconic ITV series For The Love of Dogs, following his passing last year.
ITV has confirmed that This Morning star and The Great British Bake Off 2023 host Alison Hammond will be fronting the beloved series, which showcases the hard work of all the staff at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The show debuted in 2012, with the last series airing in 2023, where we saw Paul O'Grady meeting many dogs who either came to Battersea as strays or because their owners couldn't look after them anymore.
With new episodes airing in the spring, Alison will be at the helm, but she has admitted she feels she'll never be able to "replace" Paul, who she described as being "iconic."
Speaking about the new role, Alison said: "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 to tell the stories of these beautiful dogs, then it will be an absolute privilege to give it my all.
"I can’t wait to share the joy of their searches for new loving forever homes and hopefully make lots of furry friends of my own along the way."
Satmohan Panesar, Commissioning Editor for ITV added: "We are thrilled to be able to confirm that the series will return in the spring and that the dogs have a brand-new champion in Alison Hammond.
"As Paul O'Grady always said himself, the stars of the show were the dogs themselves, but the impact that he had and the legacy he leaves will never be forgotten by any of us.
"We can't wait to welcome back the series with Alison; there will be all the fun and warmth that our viewers have come to expect whilst continuing to showcase the wonderful and important work done by the incredible team at Battersea.”
Additionally, Peter Laurie, Battersea's Chief Executive has commented on the news and the decision to reboot the award-winning documentary series with a new host.
He said: "Everyone at Battersea is excited to embark upon a brand-new series of For the Love of Dogs with Alison Hammond. Over the last twelve years, For the Love of Dogs has shared with viewers the love and expert care Battersea dedicates to all the animals that need our help."
While we don't have exact transmission details yet, we do know that the next season will air on ITV later this year, with more information to follow.
Previous episodes of For The Love of Dogs are available on demand via ITVX.
