Alison Hammond responds after Katie Hopkins makes cruel video mocking heart attack scare
Warning: This article contains discussion of fatphobia which some readers may find distressing.
Alison Hammond has responded to a video by Katie Hopkins mocking her after she had a heart-attack scare while broadcasting This Morning.
Hammond, 51, had to leave the set of This Morning very quickly, with co-host Dermot O'Leary helping her away as she was seen grabbing her chest, as well as being heard breathing heavily and retching off camera, Metro reports.
Viewers were left concerned by what happened, but fortunately Hammond took to social media a few hours later to assure everyone that she was okay, but had her 'old ticker' checked due to experiencing 'palpitations'.
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She was kept in hospital overnight, before being discharged the following morning, saying that she had a 'panic attack'.
Hammond's colleagues on This Morning also reassured viewers with an update at the start of the show from Ben Shepherd and Cat Deeley.
"We had a little bit of a scare on Friday, didn’t we?" Ben said.
"We did," Cat replied. "We wanted to start with some good news, please, about Alison after she fell unwell during the show.
"She was taken to hospital for checks, but now, thankfully, she’s been given the all clear."
As if this wasn't already unpleasant enough, Hammond was then the subject of a video posted by Katie Hopkins, who mocked her weight, and asking why this was news, saying: "I may be away from the UK right now, but please just tell me I didn’t just see Alison Hammond on ITV News because she may have had a minor panic attack on TV.
"Please tell me that ITV News’ main feature wasn’t Alison Hammond – who used to be a significant chumba womba, about the size of a brick [expletive], to be quite honest with you – because she thought she might have had a minor panic attack."
Hopkins even mocked Hammond for having 'made maximum fuss about it' when she shared updates with worried viewers on social media, reassuring them that she was okay.
"Could you please have some respect?" ranted Hopkins "There are people out there, in the universe, with actual conditions, chronic conditions, that make their everyday hell, that make them not able to use the stairs or go in the shower alone, or they’re overcoming some horrific illness, or they’ve got a terminal diagnosis."
Hopkins' video was shared over a million times, and Hammond has been praised for taking the trolling in her stride.
Hammond took to the comments on Hopkins' video, responding: "I’m still a Chumba womba babs !! I thought it was a heart attack it was very scary."
She added: "I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even you cos you are beautiful on inside and out."
Plenty of fans took to the comments to commend Hammond for how she replied, with one writing: "Classy response. I hope you’re feeling better."
Another wrote: "And that’s how a woman handles her business. So glad you’re feeling better. Panic attacks are scary !!!!!"
Kit Roberts