Alison Hammond has received Ofcom complaints for calling youngsters ‘bad’ on This Morning.
The 48-year-old Bake Off host has seen on our screens more recently, taking over for Phillip Schofield after his departure from the daytime show, and Holly Willoughby only months after.
On Friday, January 12, she was hosting This Morning with Dermot O’Leary when she made a controversial statement regarding youngsters remaining at home during the school day and watching the show.
Eighty-six people complained to Ofcom, with a spokesperson confirming : ‘The majority of complaints related to comments made by Alison Hammond about children who are not in school at the time of broadcast as naughty.’
The next day, Alison apologised on air after her phone went off during the broadcast.
‘Did you not turn it off?’ Dermot asked Alison, as he heard the phone ringing behind him, to which she replied: ‘I did turn it off, that’s not me, it wasn’t me!’
She quickly grabbed her phone and added: ‘Oh, it was! I thought I had it on aeroplane mode.
‘Hold on, let me turn it off. I’m so sorry!’
‘To be fair, she was on aeroplane mode, it’s not her fault!’ Dermot told viewers.
Alison has previously faced criticism from irate viewers, including a reaction last year for comments about prohibiting audience members from singing along to live events.
The conversation on theatre etiquette lead to 66 Ofcom complaints, after Alison said, of the ban: ‘I can’t believe it. I’d be devastated. I’m not even going to go to that show now.’
Alison later issued an apology, tweeting: ‘After reflection and the comments I made on Wednesday’s show I want to apologise to anyone who I offended especially the incredibly talented theatre performers, who I have the utmost respect for,’ and added that she wanted ‘to use my platform for good’.
Dermot also defended himself, posting: ‘Could I politely urge anyone passing judgement on the clip to watch the whole interview… as I was actually arguing AGAINST people singing too loudly in theatres.’
He added that he had ‘love and respect for those treading the boards’.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.