Police issue Alison Hammond 'blackmail' case update after 'thorough investigation'
Prosecutors have decided to take no further action after a man was arrested on suspicion of blackmailing TV favourite Alison Hammond. Last March, it was reported that the This Morning and The Great British Bake Off star had been blackmailed for a hefty sum.
A man allegedly threatened to spread false rumours about her unless she met his demands. Following the arrest of a 36-year-old man from Warwickshire by West Midlands Police, he was released. On Saturday, the police confirmed: "We carried out a thorough investigation and submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service for assessment. CPS has concluded that there will be no further action. We have passed on this information to all parties involved."
Now, it has been revealed that the man was Alison's ex Ben Hawkins, whom she dated for 10 months from May 2022. He always denied the allegation and after 18 months, the police force announced they dropped the case due to a lack of evidence.
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Ben described the last 18 months as a "nightmare", telling The Sun: "It's been a nightmare. I was arrested and spent a night in custody and I have been under suspicion for 18 months."
Birmingham's own Alison, who first won hearts in Big Brother back in 2002, is a familiar face on ITV's This Morning with Dermot O’Leary and recently joined Noel Fielding to host Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off, taking over from Matt Lucas in 2023. The versatile presenter has also graced our screens in I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity Coach Trip, Strictly Come Dancing, and Celebrity MasterChef, and even co-hosted the 2023 Baftas with Richard E Grant.
Fans can look forward to more of Alison as she gears up to present her new BBC interview show, Alison Hammond’s Big Weekend, next year. Alison's team and the CPS have yet to comment on the latest developments, according to PA.
Alison's representatives have been contacted for comment by OK!
