Alison Hammond wants to adopt 25 pooches after For the Love of Dogs

Watch: Alison Hammond wants to adopt 25 pooches after For the Love of Dogs

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Alison Hammond confessed she was finding it hard not to adopt pooches after hosting For the Love of Dogs, jesting: "I have a house of 25 dogs now!"

The show returns to our screens on Tuesday with Hammond as the new host. It is the first series after the previous host Paul O'Grady died aged 54 in March last year. Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs has been airing since it first began in 2012 with the late presenter and it's the first time the show has had a new host.

Ahead of her debut, Hammond appeared on Lorraine to discuss her new role saying she was the "luckiest girl in the world". So much so, the star confessed it was "so so hard" not to adopt the dogs on the reality series.

What, how and why?

She told Lorraine Kelly: "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world, honestly. It was like therapy. Going in there and being with those dogs, it was just lovely."

The TV host asked her how she manages to stop herself from adopting all of the dogs on the show. She said: "But how do you stop yourself - remember lovely Paul O'Grady having a contract he was not to adopt anymore. How do you give a wee thing like that back?"

Hammond joked about having a house of 25 dogs as she talked about the struggle of not being able to adopt all of them. "I have a house of 25 dogs now!" She joked. Juggling her jam-packed celebrity lifestyle, Hammond said she would considering having a dog in the future.

She added: "It's so, so hard, what I've realised from doing the show is you have to be responsibility. I'm so busy at the moment. I want to be there for my dog if I ever do have a dog, when I have a dog when I'm older. I'm going to Battersea without a doubt. Why would you go to a breeder? Go to Battersea, there are so many lovely beautiful dogs."

Hammond lamented how many abandoned dogs there are at Battersea. "It's unbelievable how many dogs come in there," she said.

On a positive note, she said she got along well with the dogs straight away and that she has a "natural affinity" for them. She said: "The team at Battersea are just wonderful. They are just gorgeous. I think I've got a natural affinity for dogs. They just absolutely warm to me, they really warm to me. It's always been like that. I've never had a dog growing up, I always wanted one. I always noticed when I went round to my friend's house they always wanted a piece of the Hammond. I don't know what it's about!"

TV host Kelly - who is going to be a grandmother - said that dogs are a good judge of character. Hammond agreed saying: "It's a little like being a grandmother... I get to give them back." Hammond further explained: "There was Nelly, the cocker spaniel, she had to lose her eye but she's just thriving. She bumps into things a couple of times but she's fine. I really wanted Nellie. I couldn't give her the life she wanted as I'm always out and about."

At the end of the interview, the TV host told viewers at home "don't miss it" as she said "it's so beautiful". Hammond also revealed there was going to be a special tribute to O'Grady. She said: "There's a lovely nod to our Paul, right at the beginning show. You're going to love it."

Alison Hammond on kissing Ant McPartlin

Elsewhere during the interview, of course Hammond talked about Saturday Night Takeaway after the finale this weekend. "I had such fun, it was so so good," she said.

TV host Kelly cheekily asked Hammond about the moment she planted a kiss on Ant McPartlin. Hammond admitted: "I did. I don't know what happened. I saw Ant and Dec. Something overtook me. I just wanted to kiss him. In that moment, I wanted to give him a kiss. I left half of my face on his face."

She added: "He's been Hammond!" Then Hammond burst into laughter. She was sad to see the end of Saturday Night Takeaway saying: "What's going to replace it?" She added: "There were so many people crying. Some people really saying they were really in tears."

Watch Lorraine weekdays at 9am on ITV1.

Read more

• ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs to return with new host after Paul O’Grady’s death (PA, 2-min read)