Alison Hammond returns to This Morning and reveals she feared a heart attack during live TV panic

Alison Hammond has returned to ITV's This Morning after revealing that she genuinely believed she was having a heart attack when she suddenly left the programme during a live broadcast last Friday. According to BBC News, the 51-year-old presenter underwent a hospital heart check-up following the incident, which was subsequently identified as a panic attack.

Alison Hammond This Morning return key facts

Detail	What has been confirmed
Presenter	Alison Hammond, 51, according to BBC News
Programme	ITV's This Morning, co-hosted with Dermot O'Leary
Original incident	Hammond left a live broadcast on Friday 2 October after experiencing frightening symptoms, according to BBC News
Hospital visit	She underwent a heart check-up after leaving the programme
Explanation	Hammond said she had experienced a panic attack
Return	Friday 9 October, one week after the incident
Expert discussion	Former BBC Breakfast presenter and psychologist Dr Sian Williams discussed panic attacks on This Morning
Other television work	The Great British Bake Off and For the Love of Dogs

Why did Alison Hammond leave This Morning last Friday

According to BBC News, Hammond appeared to clutch her chest as she abruptly left This Morning during last Friday's programme. Her departure was sufficiently alarming for her to undergo a hospital check-up to investigate what had happened.

The presenter later shared a video explaining that she was "getting my old ticker checked out", according to the BBC. She described experiencing "a little bit of a palpitation" and expressed the hope that it "was just a little panic attack".

Returning to the programme on 9 October, Hammond confirmed that the experience had been a panic attack. She described how quickly the symptoms developed and why they initially seemed to indicate something more serious.

The BBC quoted her telling viewers: "I couldn't catch my breath and I genuinely thought I was having a heart attack." Hammond emphasised that the frightening sensations were not imaginary, adding: "It felt like a heart attack. It was very real."

Her account made clear that the incident had been unfamiliar as well as frightening. Hammond explained that she had never previously experienced anything comparable, and that being in the middle of a live television broadcast had made the situation particularly difficult.

What Alison Hammond said about her panic attack

Hammond gave viewers a detailed account of the physical sensations she experienced, according to BBC News. She said the panic attack developed suddenly, describing a wave of what she had subsequently come to understand as adrenaline entering her body.

The presenter also compared the experience with entering the Upside Down, the otherworldly setting featured in the television series Stranger Things. According to the BBC, Hammond said the sensation was surreal and left her unable to understand what was happening to her.

Hammond described the incident as "probably one of the most scariest things I've ever been through". She explained that her difficulty breathing had been so intense that she believed she was suffering a heart attack.

The fact that the episode unfolded live on television added another concern. Hammond said she had thought about the possibility that her son might be watching the programme as the incident happened.

She told viewers: "So I just ran. I ran off TV. I would never do that normally but I just couldn't catch my breath."

The Birmingham-born presenter said the experience had changed her outlook. According to BBC News, she expressed gratitude for being able to return, saying she felt thankful to God and to life more generally.

How Dermot O'Leary welcomed Alison Hammond back

Hammond resumed her usual Friday presenting partnership with Dermot O'Leary, according to BBC News. At the beginning of the programme, she thanked her colleague for continuing with the broadcast after she had unexpectedly left the studio the previous week.

She also thanked those who had contacted her with messages of support and good wishes following the incident. Her return provided an opportunity to explain what had happened directly to viewers who had witnessed her sudden departure.

In an emotional exchange, Hammond placed both hands on O'Leary's cheeks before embracing him. She thanked him for his support and spoke about how relieved she felt to be back alongside him.

According to the BBC, Hammond said the experience had encouraged her to reassess her priorities, particularly her health. She spoke about taking stock of her life and mentioned that she had been drinking plenty of water.

Earlier, Hammond had appeared on ITV's Lorraine to discuss her impending return. The BBC reported that she jokingly echoed former This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby's 2023 opening monologue following Phillip Schofield's departure.

Hammond asked viewers whether they were OK, prompting laughter from Lorraine Kelly, who described the remark as "genius". The exchange preceded Hammond's more serious discussion of her health scare on This Morning.

Why Alison Hammond was anxious about returning to live television

Although Hammond was pleased to return, she acknowledged that she had felt uncertain about going back to the programme. According to BBC News, the presenter was concerned that delaying her return might make the prospect of appearing on This Morning increasingly difficult.

She explained that she wanted to avoid associating the studio or programme itself with the panic attack. Her reasoning was that the experience could have occurred somewhere else and was not necessarily connected to a particular location.

Hammond told viewers that panic attacks could happen anywhere and that their effects came in changing waves. She also reflected on the demands of appearing regularly on live television.

During the discussion, she questioned whether the constant need to be ready and engaging while broadcasting might have had an impact on her. However, according to the BBC, she explicitly acknowledged that she did not know whether presenting live television had contributed to her experience.

Her remarks stopped short of identifying a definite cause for the panic attack. Instead, she described the uncertainty surrounding an unfamiliar event that had unexpectedly interrupted her normal working routine.

Hammond ended the segment with a characteristically upbeat declaration. According to BBC News, she told viewers: "I'm back, babes. Keep rolling."

What Dr Sian Williams said about panic attack symptoms

Hammond and O'Leary were joined by former BBC Breakfast presenter and psychologist Dr Sian Williams to discuss panic attacks, according to BBC News. Williams, who has written a book about anxiety, explained why an episode can produce symptoms that feel similar to those of a heart attack.

Williams described a panic attack as "anxiety on overdrive, when you can't find the reason". She said panic attacks affect more women than men and can last between five and 20 minutes.

According to the BBC, Williams explained that some of the physical symptoms associated with panic attacks overlap with those experienced during heart attacks. These can include chest pain, choking sensations and tingling.

She also outlined a distinction involving the way symptoms behave. Williams said that heart attack pain tends to radiate, potentially extending into the arm or jaw, and does not subside through breathing or grounding techniques in the same way.

Williams suggested that people experiencing a panic attack could try grounding themselves by paying attention to their immediate surroundings and recognising that they are safe. She also discussed steadying breathing as a way of responding to the experience.

BBC News additionally cited the mental health charity Mind, which characterises panic attacks as an extreme anxiety response. The charity's explanation highlights how rapidly intense physical and mental symptoms can develop.

The BBC noted that panic attacks can affect people regardless of their age, background or previous experience of anxiety. Hammond's account illustrated how alarming an unfamiliar episode could feel, even for someone accustomed to the pressures of regular public appearances.

What else has happened since Alison Hammond's hospital visit

Hammond's absence from the spotlight extended beyond the immediate This Morning broadcast. According to BBC News, she missed Wednesday's Attitude Awards, where she won The Honorary Gay Award.

The presenter remains associated with several high-profile television programmes. Alongside her regular appearances on This Morning, the BBC identified The Great British Bake Off and For the Love of Dogs among the shows she hosts.

Her return on Friday brought an end to a week in which concern about her sudden departure had been followed by confirmation that she had suffered a panic attack rather than the heart attack she initially feared.

Speaking alongside O'Leary and Williams, Hammond was able to address both her personal experience and the wider subject of panic attacks. She also made clear that returning to the studio had been an important decision for her.

Frequently asked questions

Did Alison Hammond have a heart attack on This Morning?

No. According to BBC News, Hammond underwent a hospital heart check-up after leaving the programme, but subsequently explained that she had suffered a panic attack.

Why did Alison Hammond run off This Morning?

Hammond said she was struggling to breathe and genuinely believed she might be having a heart attack. BBC News reported that she also became concerned her son might be watching the live broadcast.

When did Alison Hammond return to This Morning?

Hammond returned on Friday 9 October, one week after her sudden departure, according to BBC News. She resumed presenting alongside Dermot O'Leary and discussed the experience with psychologist Dr Sian Williams.