Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney has supported Alison Hammond as the TV star reflected on her experience on Big Brother. The 50-year-old This Morning star shot to fame on the reality show over two decades ago.
Alison has since gone on to pave her way in the showbiz industry, racking up a long list of presenting duties. She currently co-presents This Morning alongside Dermot O’Leary, as well as taking over The Great British Bake Off from Matt Lucas and replacing the late Paul O’Grady on Channel 4’s For The Love of Dogs.
She has also appeared in BBC’s Alison Hammond’s Florida Unpacked with her son Aiden. The 50-year-old has recently launched a new show called Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend where she spends time with a number of famous faces.
Big Brother saw fourteen strangers meet for the first time in the ‘Big Brother house’ and be isolated from the outside world. It gave the contestants a chance to showcase their personality, while the public voted for their favourite.
The nation were quick to fall in love with 27-year-old Alison from Birmingham. Other notable stars who shot to fame on the hit show include Kate Lawler, Josie Gibson and the first ever winner Craig Phillips.
Alison’s original audition tape from 2000 has recently resurfaced and the TV presenter shared the video to her 1.7m followers on Instagram. She wrote: “Wow This is Where it all started ! 23 years ago. My audition tape for Big Brother.”
The clip sees a young Alison, who was working as a cinema team leader at the time, tell the camera “a bit about herself.” Unsure of what to say, Alison decided to unpack her handbag and do a ‘what’s in my bag’.
Despite a rather boring conversation about her favourites bandanas and her Vaseline lip balm, Alison managed to bag herself a spot on the reality show and hasn’t looked back since.
She has since appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2010 and Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. She also gave a memorable appearance on The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off where she thought her oven door had disappeared.
After Alison shared her original audition footage to social media, her fans were in stitches as her hilarious personality still shone through twenty three years ago.
One fan said: “Literally not changed one bit. You had me crying laughing when you were in BB, you deserve every bit of your ongoing success.”
A second wrote: “An absolute elite series of big brother!” while a third reminisced on an iconic moment when she fell through the table.
They said: “You falling through the table on BB is literally engraved in my brain. I used to stay with my nana every weekend. I’d be on a camp bed at the side of her bed watching you on BB with our supper, I was 10 years old! I’m now 32 & now I hunt down outfits you’re wearing on This Morning.”
Other celebrities also took to the comments after seeing Alison’s iconic entrance into the showbiz world. Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney wrote: “Love this” with a red love heart emoji.
Her Big Brother co-star Kate Lawler said: “Oh. My. Dog. This is epic. How was it 23 years ago my love.” This Morning’s Sian Welby said: “Everything you’ve achieved is so deserved. You’re just a natural star.”
Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe wrote: “Love to see this, still with the same smile.” Gogglebox’s Ellie Warner added: “The golden era.” Emma Willis wrote: “Love this” while Donna Preston, who appeared on this year’s Celebrity Big Brother, simply wrote: “Incredible.”