36-year-old man arrested for allegedly blackmailing TV star Alison Hammond

A 35-year-old man who allegedly blackmailed television star Alison Hammond has been arrested.

A 36-year-old man is in police custody this evening, Saturday, March 25, suspected of blackmailing television star Alison Hammond. West Midlands Police had been investigating allegations revealed exclusively by The Sun, of blackmail threats made against the This Morning host.

“A 36-year-old man has been arrested from an address in Warwickshire this evening on suspicion of blackmail against a woman in her 40s. He remains in custody for questioning”, said the force in a statement.

As the alleged blackmailer’s demands increased, the 48-year-old is said to have bought him a £5,000 BMW. If she failed to keep giving him what he wanted, the suspect apparently threatened to ruin her career. “I’ve been so naive and feel so stupid”, Alison reportedly told a friend.

After plucking up the courage, Alison went to the police to report what had been going on for the last eight months. She showed officers the sinister messages that the alleged former friend had been sending her.

The detainee apparently claimed to know things that would put an end to a career that is suddenly blossoming, with Alison recently named to replace Matt Lucas as the new host of the next series of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ on Channel 4.

Friends told the news outlet that she had become increasingly concerned for her and her family’s safety after refusing to continue meeting the suspect’s demands. “I trusted this guy who, it turns out, was only interested in my money. I thought he valued our friendship. I now know he only wanted me to fund his life of luxury”, she told a friend.

Alison added: “Out of the blue, he said he could tell lies to make people think less of me. It was alarming. I’m a very generous person and was happy to spend money on him. I wanted to help him”.

It is believed that the suspect has a history of drug abuse and that the TV personality offered to pay for him to attend rehab. After cutting ties with him on numerous occasions, he somehow managed to worm his way back into her life.

Everything came to a head last week, as Alison explained to a colleague: “He sent me a message stating that if I didn’t give him £3,500 he would ruin me. I was flabbergasted. I’m still in shock. To have a friend seeking to blackmail and extort me is just heartbreaking. I had to realise I’d reached the end and go to the police”. As a result, she went to the police last Tuesday 21 and told them about her situation.

Since appearing on the third series of Big Brother back in 2002, the former holiday rep’s star has risen and her television career has grown. She has been a regular panellist on ITV’s hit daytime show ‘Loose Women’.

The Brummie with a larger-than-life personality will be taking the hot seat alongside Holly Willoughby from Monday to Friday next week to replace Philip Schofield on This Morning while he is on vacation.

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