Alison Hammond on Baileys, Christmas buffets and her new novel Bombshell

What are your festive essentials?
Mince pies and Christmas cake. I’ve made my Christmas cake already – it just needs icing. I’m ready to go, babes! My fruit has been soaking for a whole year in white rum and sherry, which elevates the cake to another level.

Describe your ideal December night in…
Sitting in front of Married At First Sight, having a Baileys, with my feet up and my electric blanket on.

Are you team Heroes, Roses or Quality Street?
Quality Street. Now you can order them with just your favourites, so I have orange and strawberry creams. Usually everyone leaves those and I’m in happy city.

Tell us about your new book Bombshell, a festive rom com…
I always knew I had a novel in me. Madison, the main character, has lived inside my head for a long time. It’s time to set her free! I love reading autobiographies and fiction. I’m nosy – I like to read about people’s lives: Mel B, Lewis Hamilton. The last book I couldn’t put down was A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini; it was incredible. Bombshell has just the right amount of drama. I had a co-writer – I call her my co-sister. Without her, I’d probably have finished it in 10 years!

What did you grow up eating?
When I was a kid, I didn’t want to eat any Caribbean food. My mum made ackee and saltfish and I wouldn’t try it: “It looks like scrambled egg.” Then I hit my teens and she’d say, “Go on Alison, your taste buds change, have a taste.” I did and I was like, “Oh my god, what have I been missing out on?” My mum used to combine English and Jamaican foods, and we called it ‘Jamlish’. She’d take corned beef and season it up, drop in some onions, peppers and garlic, and it’s the nicest dinner you’ll ever have. I still eat it now.

What does food mean to you?
Food represents your culture; you can’t lose sight of how important food is. Since my mum died in 2020, I’ve been to a Caribbean restaurant, had some red peas soup and literally started crying, because it reminded me of her. Food is such an important part of my life and also plays a part in the book, because it sets the scene: Madison’s got a Caribbean background, her dad’s into food.

What does your Christmas look like?
I’m having 14 people this year for Christmas. My sister’s making the turkey, I’m doing lamb, my nephew’s doing a ham. We’ll get Caribbean hardo bread, and bun and cheese. We’ll all chip in and do it together, like a buffet. This year we’re having a talent show. My sister might play the piano; she’s learning a piece. I might sing: Mustang Sally is my song. My party trick? It used to be dropping into the splits, but I need to warm up for an hour now!

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
My best-ever Christmas present was from This Morning. It’s a seat at the Birmingham Hippodrome dedicated to my mum. She loved West Side Story, and it says ‘Maria Foster: “The most beautiful sound I ever heard, Maria.”’ It meant so much to me.

I’m doing panto there this year: it’s Peter Pan and I’m the Magical Mermaid. Matt Slack is in it and he’s one of the funniest comedians; and right in front is my mum’s chair, so it’s like she’s there watching me.

How do you cope with the pressures of being a TV presenter?
Pressure is being in a war zone, or not knowing where your next meal is coming from. I’m in a tent having fun with bakers making cakes. There’s no pressure on me at all other than to be myself. How wonderful is it that someone wants to pay me just to be who I am? It’s a fantastic feeling.

I know about showbiz and it goes something like this: Who’s Alison Hammond, get me Alison Hammond, get me someone like Alison Hammond, get me a younger Alison Hammond and who is Alison Hammond? That’s the cycle of celebrity. Once you know that, you can deal with it. It’s not going to last forever: enjoy it.

Do you ever get nervous?
I always think, if you don’t get nervous, you’re not living. I interviewed Lenny Henry the other day; he’s a legend, you want to get that one right. I had an ice bath. My son, Aidan, and I went parasailing: I was scared but we had the best time. When I’m with Aidan, I’ll push myself even more just to prove a point. I’m 49; if I can do it – he’s only 19 – he can, too.

Who’s on your wish list to have on the This Morning sofa?
I’d love to interview Michelle Obama. I like what she stands for. I’ve read her book. I’d like to ask why she never stood for election. She would have been a great president. Why did she never put herself forward?

What makes you excited to get up in the morning?
Every day I say thank you for life. As soon as I wake up, I’m thanking God for this new day. I’m still curious. I’m still searching for the next thing. I’ve got around 30 years left of my life – I’m going to live each day to the maximum.

Bombshell by Alison Hammond (Bantam £20) is out now; This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.