Alison Hammond police arrest a suspect after ‘friend forced her to give him thousands in blackmail and extortion plot’
POLICE investigating alleged blackmail threats to Alison Hammond have arrested a suspect tonight.
The man, aged 36, was being held in custody.
It came after earlier today police said they were taking the TV star’s allegations “very seriously” and the probe was “progressing swiftly”.
They acted after The Sun exclusively told how the This Morning host was confronted by a man ordering her to hand over thousands or face damaging lies being spread to end her career.
In a statement West Midlands Police said: “A 36-year-old man has been arrested from an address in Warwickshire this evening on suspicion of blackmail against a woman in her 40s. He remains in custody for questioning.”
It came as it was also revealed Alison is to step in all this week to replace Phillip Schofield on the ITV daytime show – while he’s away. She will co-host Monday to Friday with Holly Willoughby.
Bubbly Alison, 48, bought the blackmailer a £5,000 BMW as his demands increased. And he threatened “I’ll Ruin You” if she failed to lavish money on him.
Alison, who is to be the new host of Channel Four’s The Great British Bake Off, told a friend: “I’ve been so naive and feel so stupid.”
Alison showed detectives the sinister messages after summoning the courage to report him.
She told officers of her eight-month ordeal at the hands of the man, a former friend who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Pals said Alison was scared for her and her family’s safety after “turning off the tap” of cash to report him.
He had vowed to “tell the world” the lies which he said would end her soaraway career.
She told a pal: “I trusted this guy who, it turns out, was only interested in my money. I thought he valued our friendship. I now know he only wanted me to fund his life of luxury.”
Despite the man’s criminal past and issues with drugs, Alison forged an unlikely friendship with him.
She offered to pay for him to attend rehab – only for him to take advantage of her caring nature.
She told a pal: “Out of the blue he said he could tell lies to make people think less of me. It was alarming. I’m a very generous person and was happy to spend money on him. I wanted to help him.”
Alison tried to break off the friendship multiple times but he always wheedled his way back into her life.
The threats and exploitation Alison was subjected to boiled over last week.
She told a colleague: “He sent me a message stating that if I didn’t give him £3,500 he would ruin me.
“I was flabbergasted. I’m still in shock. To have a friend seeking to blackmail and extort me is just heartbreaking. I had to realise I’d reached the end and go to the police.”
Vulnerable Alison sat down with West Midlands Police to report her ordeal last Tuesday.
She bravely continued to star on This Morning with millions of viewers oblivious to her real-life heartbreak.
She sobbed to a pal: “Now, I’m genuinely scared of what this man might do to me now that I’ve stopped with the handouts and reported him.
“It’s terrifying. I trusted this man and our friendship. But it was all so he could use me for my money. Now I feel so stupid.
“It is as though a veil has been lifted from my eyes.”
Fans signalled their support for the jewel in the crown of ITV’s presenting team yesterday by sending messages of support on social media.
Alison recently signed to replace Matt Lucas as co-host of Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off — and has been snapped up for Sky quiz In Demand.
Brummie Alison shares a teenage son Aiden with her ex-husband Noureddine Boufaied.
A former holiday rep, she has seen her TV career go from strength to strength since appearing as a contestant on the third series of Big Brother in 2002.
Alison later admitted she had only signed for the show in a bid to clear a £3,000 debt.
But her bubbly attitude soon landed her a spot on This Morning after bosses saw her potential as an on-screen talent.
She has since delivered a series of classic daytime TV moments – including a fake wedding with Dwayne The Rock Johnson.
In 2010 she headed to Australia for I’m A Celebrity but was sent packing after losing an eating trial to US model Kayla Collins.
Four years later Alison competed for the Glitterball trophy in Strictly Come Dancing.
Paired with Slovenian dancer pro Aljaž Škorjanec, she became one of the show’s most popular stars, but was eventually voted off in the seventh week.
Her popularity led to a This Morning presenter shake-up in 2020, with Alison assuming Friday hosting duties alongside Dermot with the duo quickly becoming fan favourites.
In 2021 she made the shortlist for Best TV Presenter at the National Television Awards.
And last month she made history again when she became the first black woman to co-host the Baftas – taking to the stage alongside actor Richard E Grant.
She and her agent have declined to comment on the police probe.