After Alison Hammond turned down the chance to appear on Celebrity Big Brother 2025, ex-housemate James Jordan has told us she “wouldn’t ever risk changing people’s opinions” of her by going back to the “challenging” show.
Alison – who now fronts This Morning on a Friday, as well as The Great British Bake Off and For The Love Of Dogs – shot to fame on the regular series of Big Brother back in 2002.
She was the second person to be evicted, and her career has soared since.
Alison Hammond turns down Celebrity Big Brother appearance
Recently, she revealed that she was offered the chance to head back to the show that made her famous. However, she turned it down.
Speaking to Gaby Roslin, Alison explained: “I was the second person to be evicted. It’s unbelievable when you look back, that chain of events was so correct for me. If I won it, I don’t think life would have gone in the same direction. I’m so grateful for Big Brother.”
The TV star was then quizzed on whether she would go back on the show. “I’ve just got asked and I said no. Yeah, they asked me and I said no I wouldn’t do it again. I just think I’ve done it, haven’t I?”
However, ex-housemate James – who went on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014 and 2017 – reckons he knows the real reason Alison turned it down. James thinks the presenter won’t want to risk “changing people’s opinions about her”.
‘People have changed public perception of them for the worse’
Speaking on behalf of Betway, James exclusively told ED!: “Alison’s a lovely girl and loved by everyone. She doesn’t need to do the show. Plus I don’t think she would ever risk changing people’s opinions about her. CBB is a challenging show and people have changed public perception about them for the worse.”
Jade Goody, for example, appeared on the show for the first time in Alison’s year, 2002. She was loved by the public and finished in fourth place. Jade made the decision to return to the show, however, in 2007. That turned out to be a decision that backfired for Jade, who found herself accused of racism while she was on the show.
It can be a risk and it’s not one Alison has to make with the success she has.
James – who found fame on Strictly – added: “So it can be a risk and it’s not one Alison has to make with the success she has. She started her career being spotted on the regular Big Brother. And I’m sure she is very proud of her roots on the show. But she doesn’t need to go back there.”
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Strictly star James desperate for Celebrity Big Brother return
James, on the other hand, very much would like to go back in.
“I want to be the first person to do it three times,” he told ED!. “I did it first in 2014 when Gary Busey won and then the 2017 All Stars when Coleen Nolan, who I adored, won.”
As for what he’d do differently, James said: “I think I’d just probably be more aware of how you can be edited if you’re not careful. And I think, because I’m so outspoken, if you take something I said out of context, then it can sound a lot worse than it is if it’s within context. I think I would think more about what I say to people. But I’d probably get to the stage where I’d stop caring too.
“It’s in my nature to say what I’m feeling!” he added.
Celebrity Big Brother starts on Monday (April 7) at 9pm on ITV1.
Read more: Celebrity Big Brother 2025 lineup ‘revealed’ as bookies reveal who will win
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