ITV made 'huge mistake' in wake of Paul O'Grady's death with Alison Hammond move

When Alison Hammond first replaced Paul O'Grady on ITV's For the Love of Dogs back in 2024, there was uproar among fans. But now, a close friend and producer of the late legend has opened up on what Paul would have really thought about the situation himself.

This Morning star, Alison, 50, began hosting For the Love of Dogs approximately one year after Paul O'Grady's death, with her first series airing in 2024. Paul died in March 2023, aged 67, and ITV announced Alison as the new presenter in January 2024 - Less than a year after his 11th and final season, which aired posthumously in April 2023. Opening up on the situation, Malcolm Prince, who worked closely with Paul for years and wrote a book about his life, said: "I can totally understand why Alison was chosen by ITV to take over the show. She's personable, she's very funny and she's a bloody good presenter. She seems to be able to turn her hand to anything and everything.

"But I think the mistake was that the series was brought back a bit too soon, even if it was done with the best intentions."

Touching on what he thinks Paul would have thought of the situation, Malcolm added: "I think he wouldn't have cared less.

"He would have wanted the show to continue without question, just because he cared so much about Battersea. He really, genuinely cared a lot about the animals there."

Malcolm really wanted people around the world to see how genuine and humble Paul actually was, even off-screen. He has recently released a book called Paul O'Grady: Not the Same without You, where he tells the stories that Paul didn't get to share himself.

It's a treasure trove of anecdotes and memories, all drawn from Malcolm's extensive collection of private recordings and interviews with the people that knew Paul best.

It tells never-before-heard stories of the much-missed national treasure, featuring the great and the good of the entertainment world, his unlikely friendship with the Queen, his departure from the BBC, and a ghost story of two thrown in for good measure.

Paul O'Grady - Not The Same Without You is available from bookstores from November 6.