'DEVASTATED' Alison Hammond has broken her silence on This Morning boss Martin Frizell quitting the show, saying he "has to leave".
Show editor Martin, 65, announced yesterday he would be stepping down from his role after ten years in charge and the Phillip Schofield scandal.
His shock decision also comes just 16 months after his wife Fiona Phillips, 63, revealed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Reacting to the news on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with The National Lottery on Virgin Radio UK, Alison acknowledged Martin’s key role at This Morning and the loss his departure brings.
Alison - who fronts Friday's installments with Dermot O'Leary - said today, "I’ve worked with Martin for 10 years now, and I am, I’ll be honest with you, I’m absolutely devastated because he’s been a real rock for the show."
She explained the reasons behind his decision, saying, "It’s totally understandable as to why he’s leaving. We all know about his wife, Fiona, and we get why he’s leaving.
"It’s very amicable, what he’s doing. He doesn’t want to leave, but he has to for family reasons, and we all understand that."
Chris reflected on Martin’s contributions to the show, saying, "The headline says, Morning has broken. It may well have been permanently broken had he not been around for the last few years."
Alison credited Martin with reviving her career, adding, "He’s the one—shall I be honest with you—he’s the one who got me back on TV. He literally was like, Alison’s really good, why don’t we use her?
"There was a time when I wasn’t on TV, I think it was 2007 or eight, I can’t really remember. Then Martin came on board and he was like, 'Why are we not using Alison Hammond?' And he was the guy who made me the girl."
Alison expressed her gratitude, saying, "So, you know, I’m really thankful to Martin Frizell, he’s a wonderful man. He’s going to be sadly missed. We’re all talking about it, like, behind the scenes. Everyone’s really sad."
She added, "Everyone’s really gutted."
This Morning boss to step down after ten years in charge and Phillip Schofield scandal
Chris asked if Alison had spoken to Martin since the announcement.
Alison replied, "Yes, I have spoken to him. I’ve sent him a little message."
When asked how Martin was doing, she said, "I think, you know, he’s upset as well. It’s an emotional situation, you know, he’s very emotional."
Chris asked Alison when she would be back on This Morning.
She said, "I’m back on Friday!"
She noted how strange the situation felt, saying, "The weirdest thing is, he’s leaving and then he’s straight into organising the next day’s show, do you know what I mean? He’s still there until spring."
She added, "He still wants whoever’s going to be his predecessor to have a nice journey into the show, so he’s going to be there to help them."
Chris mentioned Martin’s wife, Fiona, saying, "And Fiona, what a ledge."
Alison responded, "I know, I love Fiona."
She shared a fond memory, conluding, "I remember being at a party with Fiona. I’ve never laughed so much in my life. She was so, so funny. And a lovely, lovely woman."
Martin joined the channel in 2014 as editor of Loose Women before taking up his decade long tenure at This Morning, which he will leave in Spring 2025.
While he still has a couple of months left in the job, The Sun understands ITV staffers have been left blindsided by the move as there's no replacement ready to be ushered in.
A source said: "It's a real shock to everyone on the show - he's been working there for so long.
"Nobody saw it coming at all. As far as everyone knows they have nobody lined up to replace him either."
This Morning, now in its 37th year, is one of the UK’s longest running programmes and Martin is the show’s longest serving editor.
In his announcement, he said: “Next year I’m expecting my family priorities to change so I need to free up time for them.
"I love my team at ITV and will miss them and the thrill of live telly but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week commitment and I won’t be able to do both.
"It’s been a privilege to lead truly great presenters and producers, between us we’ve turned out more than six thousand hours of live topical telly, that’s around 20,000 items and whilst the gongs are always nice.
"I’m most proud of the change we made to so many lives, even saving a fair few with our campaigns on anti suicide, menopause, testicular cancer and ‘how - to’ items.
"This juggernaut is the toughest test for any broadcast journalist.”
Kevin Lygo, Managing Director, Media and Entertainment added: “This Morning is an iconic show in ITV’s schedule, and heading the team for a decade, producing more than ten hours of original, topical, live television every week is an amazing achievement.
“As a programme and a brand, Martin has made sure the show continues to be a household name, an award-winning staple of the schedule with a growing successful presence in digital and social.
"On behalf of the ITV Network, we thank Martin and wish him the very best for his future ventures.”
Emma Gormley, Managing Director, ITV Studios Daytime, said: “Martin has brought so much success to This Morning over the last decade which has seen an evolving landscape of changing and diversifying viewing habits.
Expert opinion: Clemmie Moodie The Sun's Assistant Editor (Showbiz)
ALL good things must come to an end - and after 10 years, and a particularly turbulent past 18 months - the end was nigh for Martin Frizell.
Mercurial, passionate, talented and combative, he is one of the last of the old-school Editors.
But under his helm, the myth of the cosy world of daytime telly was shattered. Unquestionably Holly and Phillip’s toxic feud tarnished the brand - and to this day, their spectre haunts This Morning.
Just weeks ago, The Ghost of Schofield Past came back to haunt Martin, over a Madagascan camp fire.
Frizell - whose charity campaigns must be lauded - can be proud of his legacy. But major changes, surely, are coming to This Morning.
"Under Martin, This Morning is now one of the nation’s most engaged formats, on both ITV and social platforms, hitting an amazing 1 billion views across this year alone; an incredible legacy.
“I am proud of the brilliance and energy that he has brought to his role as custodian of this iconic brand.
"Martin's decade-long contribution to the longevity and good health of our flagship show has been remarkable, and he leaves it in a place where it can continue to thrive into the next decade and beyond.”
ITV says Martin’s successor will be announced in due course.
Illustrious career
The Glasgow-native has an illustrious career under his belt as a journalist, TV producer and editor.
He climbed the ranks to success with his wife and fellow small screen star Fiona by his side.
Martin began his professional career as a researcher for the BBC before moving on to generating content for other major TV networks.
As well as his TV triumphs, he's a writer and journalist - his work has appeared in The Sun, The Daily Mail and The Mirror.
He was acknowledged for his work in TV by being given the Royal Television Society Fellowship in 2016.
In the past, Martin worked as a correspondent for Thomson Reuters and GMTV for seven years, according to his LinkedIn.
Martin was also the editor of GMTV for 10 years before his shocking exit.
Regarding the choice to leave, he said: "ITV's merger with GMTV seems like a natural point for my chapter with Britain's best breakfast show to close and a new one to start."
After leaving GMTV, he worked as the UK correspondent for the Australian breakfast show Channel 7 Sunrise.
Who will replace Martin?
WITH the ITV boss leaving after ten years in charge, insiders say Vivek Sharma could be in line to replace Martin Frizell on This Morning.
Vivek joined This Morning as a deputy editor in 2016 - previously working his way up the ranks at ITV as an editor at Loose Women then an assistant editor at Good Morning Britain.
In 2020, he left ITV to work as an executive editor on the launch of Steph’s Packed Lunch, then moved to News UK’s TalkTV in early 2022. He returned to This Morning in November last year as an associate editor.
A TV insider tells The Sun: “He’s a very familiar face at ITV and all the bosses love him - he’s who everyone that works there thinks will land the job.”
Martin also made a brief foray into the world of PR as an executive producer at GolinHarris.
His time there was short as he took the job of editor of the longest running all female panel show - Loose Women - before moving to This Morning.
Marriage to Fiona Phillips
Martin married broadcaster Fiona in May 1997.
The couple share two sons, Nathaniel and Mackenzie.
Last July, the mum-of-two revealed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 62.
The TV star, who had been suffering with brain fog for months, said she was "heartbroken" at having the same condition that has plagued her family.
The cruel blow, which Fiona has been secretly living with for 18 months, has come earlier in life than Fiona had anticipated.
She continued: "It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80. But I was still only 61 years old."
Martin is said to have remained by her side for support her.
Phil fallout
The industry titan faced Phillip's wrath just last month when the fallen star branded him, ITV's Emma Gormley and his former co-host Holly Willoughby the “three s**ts of showbiz”.
The ex-presenter lashed out at the trio in his television comeback on Channel 5’s Cast Away but did not name anyone.
Phil’s friends later set the record straight and outed the three people Phil blames for ending his television career.
They said Phil believes Holly and boss Martin staged an “organised coup” to get him sacked after the jailing of his paedophile brother Timothy.
A friend said: “Phil’s three s**ts are Holly, Martin and Emma.
“He dislikes Holly so much now he calls her ‘the witch’ when talking about her and sends the emoji to his mates if she comes up.
“Phil believes Holly, Martin and Emma were the reason he was booted from ITV and he thinks they treated him unfairly.
“He messaged Holly and told her, ‘You brought me down.’ He was furious, and still is.”
Phil claimed he was sacked because of bad publicity around his brother who was jailed for 12 years in May last year for sexual offences involving a child.
It was in stark contrast to how his departure played out publicly, with Phil releasing a statement saying he was stepping down after an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger show runner.
Schofield Scandal Timeline
2017: Phillip Scofield and the runner share "a consensual moment" in his dressing room
April 17, 2023: Schofield returns to This Morning after his brother Tim’s sex-abuse conviction - but Holly is missing.
May 10: The Sun exclusively reveals Schofield and Holly are barely talking after insiders said their relationship had "cooled"
May 11: Schofield breaks his silence and dubs Holly his "rock" in a bid to mend their broken relationship.
May 15: The daytime TV pair are said to be "feuding" - after their on-screen chemistry seems off.
May 20: Phillip announces he would be stepping back from his role on This Morning
May 21: Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond replace the pair on This Morning
May 22: The pair pay tribute to Schofield on air - branding him "one of the best live TV broadcasters"
May 26: Schofield admits to having an affair with "much younger man" - and announces he's stepping down from ITV
May 27: ITV says it investigated "rumours of a relationship" between Schofield and a younger employee - but the pair "repeatedly denied" the affair. Then, Holly also accuses Schofield of lying to her about the affair
May 28: Former This Morning resident doctor Ranj Singh claims "the issues with This Morning go far beyond" Schofield
May 29: Minutes before This Morning begins, Schofield hits out at "the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show" - seeing former colleague Eamonn Holmes hit back
May 30: Phillip Schofield is axed as ambassador for Prince’s Trust. Separately, it emerges that ITV bosses are due to appear before the culture, media and sports committee
May 31: It's revealed Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary are to be quizzed along with Holly Willoughby and the rest of the show’s presenting roster
June 1: Schofield exclusively tells The Sun he feels "utterly broken and ashamed" by the affair
June 6: On her return to the This Morning sofa after two weeks away, Willoughby told viewers she had been left feeling "shaken, troubled, let down" following revelations over Schofield's affair, leading to his departure. ITV director grilled over Phillip Schofield row and gets mocked by MP who quotes Holly and asks ‘are you ok?’
October 10: Holly Willoughby quits This Morning, she says, "for me and my family"
December 7: ITV review is released - reveals just one other person knew about the affair
In September 2022, Holly and Phil were heavily criticised for apparently jumping the queue to see the late Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall.
However, The Sun can reveal Phil pleaded with Martin to cancel the segment.
In messages two days before filming, he warned him it would have the “wrong tone” and that he wanted to “remain outside”.
Phil later asked Martin to rethink, calling the plan “ill-conceived”.
A friend added: “Phil didn’t even want to go to Westminster. He foresaw it would backfire and it did. He wanted to watch the procession from the bottom of his drive at home.
“They never actually jumped the queue and when they had to read a statement explaining that, it was even more galling for Phil because Holly was given the most lines.
“Phil predicted it would be perceived badly and he was right.”
