Dermot O'Leary

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond has addressed the 22-year age gap between her and her boyfriend David Putman, as she issued an update on their relationship

Birmingham-born telly star Alison Hammond has addressed the 22-year age gap between herself and her partner, Russian model and massage therapist David Putman, telling the Daily Mail: “I completely understand why people are interested when there’s a 22-year gap,” before questioning: “But what I find interesting is that it’s not as interesting when it’s the man who is older. Why is that? I just want people to be happy for us. We are absolutely in love.”

The presenter first encountered the towering 6ft 10in model after booking him for a £150 massage. Sparks flew instantly between them. According to Alison, they complement each other perfectly, with David being “mature and sensible”, while she admits she’s “so not”.

Gushing about her beau, Alison said: “He just has the most beautiful energy and everyone feels it when they’re in his presence. It’s very rare. I am so grateful that he chooses to spend his life with me.”

Wedding bells aren’t ringing quite yet for the loved-up couple, though Alison playfully teasedThis Morning audiences about a possible engagement during a celebrity gossip segment last summer.

While discussing the day’s headlines alongside co-presenter Dermot O’Leary, Alison spotted articles about herself: “Oh my God! Apparently I am engaged?” she gasped, before joking, “Let me swap it over to stop these rumours,” as she shifted her eye-catching diamond ring to another finger.

Alison revealed in December that neither she nor her partner feels any urgency to tie the knot: “We live together, and we’re happy the way it is. I don’t need a ring to show my love to somebody. What I will say is, if he asked me tomorrow to marry him, it wouldn’t be a ‘no’. That’s all I’m going to say to you.”

The mother-of-one, whose wealth is estimated at around £4 million, has previously stated she prefers to keep details of her personal life private. She said: “I don’t like to go into detail about him, because it’s my private life, and I want to respect his life as well.”

Nevertheless, she noted that those close to her are fully aware she is completely “loved-up.”

The Bake Off and Love of Dogs presenter shared that being in a relationship makes her “more patient” and “kinder”, adding that she cherishes having someone to “care for”.

The sole difficulty in their romance appears to be David’s mother, Olga, who is said to disapprove of the age-gap relationship. A source close to the pair told The Sun that Olga, 64, believes Alison is too mature for David and is uncomfortable with how Alison’s fame has thrust him into the public eye.

“She’s uncomfortable that her son is with someone who has so much more financial power than him,” the insider revealed. “Olga’s traditional values don’t sit well with their relationship. She’s told him in no uncertain terms that he must end it.”

Another source added: “Olga raised her children in the Orthodox Church. This kind of relationship doesn’t fit her beliefs.” She has reportedly made several calls to David from her home in Sochi, on the Black Sea coast, urging him to rethink his decisions.

Despite his mother’s misgivings, David remains content with how his romance with Alison is progressing, and it seems unlikely that her concerns will have any bearing on his choices.

Davina McCall and Joel Dommett hosted BBC Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day special, with the TV presenter forced to caution viewers

BBC Comic Relief’s Davina McCall found herself compelled to issue a warning to viewers just moments into the programme.

The charity fundraiser made its annual return to our telly screens on Friday (March 20) evening, as the Red Nose Day squad tackled the biggest night in comedy and entertainment.

TV favourite Davina took on presenting responsibilities, joined by co-host and close mate Joel Dommett for the entire evening’s entertainment.

They were joined by comedic luminaries such as Katherine Ryan, Nick Mohammed and Catherine Tate (reprising her role as Nan from The Catherine Tate Show).

This year’s live broadcast once again brought more energy and enthusiasm than ever before. The three-hour extravaganza kicked off with a special message from Sir Lenny Henry, who retired from his hosting duties back in 2024, and a musical number from Catherine Tate, reports Wales Online.

However, early into the proceedings, Davina found herself obliged to issue a warning to viewers when the cast of The Play that Goes Wrong provided a step-by-step guide on how to donate to Comic Relief during the show.

The programme switched to a clip of the cast performing a skit involving some perilous stunts. Following the clip, Davina began by saying: “Thank you so much to the cast of the Play that Goes Wrong. Smashing… literally.

“The actors used specially designed fake props and are all professionally trained in the art of tomfoolery.”

She cautioned: “Please do not try anything that you saw at home, especially taking a swig from the bottle marked with a warning and skull and cross bones label.” Joel chimed in: “Don’t do that.”

The charity event, held at Salford’s MediaCity, showcased sketches from Amandaland, the Bank Job featuring the dynamic This Morning pair Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, and The Traitors: The Movie – The Sequel.

Communities, workplaces, schools and families have contributed to raising more than £1.6 billion over the past 41 years, benefiting over 100 million people, according to Comic Relief.

The charity has been instrumental in supporting communities by offering food, healthcare and shelter to those most in need. Meanwhile, Greg James participated in a colossal Comic Relief challenge, which saw him raise over £4million.

He embarked on his journey from Weymouth on Friday 13 March. The star endured eight gruelling days of pushing himself to the extreme, cycling through England and Wales before crossing the finish line in Edinburgh on Friday 20 March.

Comic Relief: Funny For Money is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.