SHE had big shoes to fill after the sad death of Paul O’Grady – but Alison Hammond has proved to be a worthy successor as host of For The Love Of Dogs.

I can reveal that not only is there a new series arriving this spring, it will have her back as presenter.

Alison Hammond holding a small fluffy dog at an animal shelter.

Alison Hammond is set to return as presenter on For The Love Of DogsCredit: Rex

A TV insider said: “Alison wasn’t an obvious choice to take over from Paul, who was a devout dog lover.

“She wasn’t exactly known for her adoration of canines, unlike lots of other pooch-owning celebrities who were in the frame at one stage.

“But the feeling is that she has bedded into the role and another series was always on the horizon.”

Paul — an ambassador for the famous dogs’ home — had hosted the ITV1 programme from 2012, and his final series began airing in April 2023, a month after he died suddenly aged 67 from cardiac arrhythmia.

Last April, Alison made her debut as host of the show, which is based at the Battersea Cats And Dogs Home in South West London.

After the six-part series ended in May, there were reports that she might be replaced.

But then came the Christmas special, and the new series is expected to air this spring.

Popular Alison, who started out as a housemate on Big Brother in 2002, is currently one of TV’s golden girls.

So perhaps her biggest hurdle is fitting in For The Love Of Dogs around all her other telly commitments.

As well as co-hosting The Great British Bake Off for Channel 4, and This Morning on ITV, she also has two projects coming up for the BBC — her unconventional chat show, Big Weekend, as well as travel programme Florida Unpacked.
Alison Hammond drops huge hint about her future on For The Love Of Dogs as she shares ‘clue’
After presenting all of that lot, no one would blame her for being dog tired.

Billboard outside a Vue cinema advertising The Traitors and Linda's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The BBC put up a Linda Rands poster in London’s West EndCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd

RETIRED opera singer Linda Rands might be floundering in The Traitors, but she’s an award winner outside the castle.

In a hilarious move, the BBC put up a poster in London’s West End, celebrating Linda’s acting skills after Friday’s episode.

From the off, viewers have been in stitches over the 70-year-old’s OTT performances.

The billboard, outside the Vue cinema in Leicester Square, showed Linda clasping a gong shaped like a hooded cloak-wearing Traitor.

Alluding to the recent Golden Globes, it states: “The Golden Cloak Awards, Linda: The Performance of a Lifetime Award.”

It came after Linda, who is a Traitor, chose to slay her castle pal Livi Deane.

She confessed: “I did think this is a good thing I can play on. I am ready to perform like it’s the last role of my life. I avoided suspicion by doing a bit of crying.”

When Livi’s murder was revealed, Linda sobbed: “Oh God – she’s my little girl. I loved her.”

The move fell flat, though, and landed her in more hot water.

Charlotte Berman, a Faith­ful, said: “I just thought, ‘fake’.”

Linda’s fellow Traitor Minah Shannon sniped: “It made her look really guilty. She overdid the performance – she didn’t need to.”

The Golden Cloak Awards committee clearly disagrees.

Flop’s no Masked Zinger

Amanda Holden at the Britain's Got Talent red carpet.

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Amanda Holden in a brave choice of dress amid freezing temperatures at BGT auditionsCredit: Splash

AMANDA HOLDEN’s brave choice of dress amid the freezing temperatures wasn’t the only revealing thing at the Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

A wannabe took to the stage in Blackpool in a giant bald eagle costume that looked as extravagant as those worn by celebrities on fellow ITV show The Masked Singer.

After failing to impress the judges with a string of bad jokes, and rejecting Simon Cowell’s suggestion he sing instead, the contestant was asked by the panel if they could meet the man behind the mask.

And the crowd instantly started chanting “Take it off” – just like the studio audience during episodes of The Masked Singer.

A show insider said: “Simon looked a bit baffled as Amanda laughed.

“She seemed to have to explain it’s the famous chant from The Masked Singer.

“The contestant refused to be unmasked, though – probably a good thing because his jokes were awful.”