Relationships between This Morning stars Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are ‘increasingly strained’

This Morning bosses are facing more chaos over the revamp after relations between the two presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary have come under increasing strain.

The Mail on Sunday may reveal that some executives at the beleaguered ITV daytime show are worried they should consider the duo hosting more episodes separately.

Ms Hammond, 48, and Mr O’Leary, 50, who run This Morning on Fridays and school holidays, were seen as able to keep the ship stable following Phillip Schofield’s departure in May.

It can also be revealed that Mrs. Hammond is no longer as close to Holly Willoughby as she was. The pair were tipped to be the main presenting duo when the program kicks off its new season in September.

A show insider said, “Alison and Dermot got off to a rocky start, they had very different levels of experience and came from completely different places, but they started getting along nicely then.

The pair were seen as able to keep the ship stable following Phillip Schofield’s departure in May. Pictured: Schofield on June 20 in Cornwall – the first time he’s been seen in public since leaving ITV

It may also be revealed that Mrs. Hammond is no longer as close to Holly Willoughby as she was (pictured together on This Morning, March 27)

“While things have come under pressure lately and it’s worrying the bosses, they fear that this couple they’ve put together that they hoped might help the show through the rough times might be a little more must be presented separately.

“As for Holly and Alison, they were fat as thieves. Alison even recently invited Holly to stay at her house, something Holly then shared with This Morning viewers.

“It’s cooled down a bit lately.”

Mr O’Leary, a seasoned presenter with over twenty years of experience, has co-anchored the show with Ms Willoughby for the past few weeks.

Ms Willoughby, 42, and Ms Hammond are also a concern for the heads. The two had grown close in recent months and Ms. Willoughby had hoped she could have the former Big Brother presenter as her sidekick.

But this newspaper has been told that Ms Hammond considers herself a star in her own right after being poached to present the hit Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off.

Meanwhile, bosses are said to be ‘thrilled’ at how popular Craig Doyle, 52, the former BBC holiday show host, has become with female viewers after spending just over a year as a stand-in host, mostly alongside Josie Gibson.

He’s been linked to Ms. Willoughby on several occasions since Schofield left the program and fans of This Morning have thoroughly enjoyed their chemistry.

The Mail on Sunday has been told that Ms Hammond considers herself a star in her own right after being poached to present the popular Channel 4 show The Great British Bake Off.

ITV bosses are said to be ‘thrilled’ at how popular Craig Doyle, 52, the former BBC holiday show host, has become with female viewers after spending just over a year as a stand-in host, mostly alongside Josie Gibson ( together on the photo on June 26)

The Mail on Sunday first revealed behind-the-scenes tensions at This Morning in April that would likely see the end of Schofield’s 21-year reign as host. Pictured: Schofield continues to care for his ailing mother in Cornwall as he leaves her house wearing sunglasses on July 2

A source on This Morning said: ‘Craig had been out in the wilderness for a while and recently he’s made a fantastic comeback.

Holly loves him and so do the viewers. Watch this room.’

The Mail on Sunday first revealed behind-the-scenes tensions at This Morning in April that would likely see the end of Schofield’s 21-year reign as host.

He was kicked off the show a month later and recently revealed that he had lied about being in a relationship with a much younger This Morning runner and lied to this paper about it.