Man, 36, arrested after Alison Hammond 'forced to hand over thousands of pounds in blackmail plot'
26 March 2023, 07:43
A man, 36, has been arrested on suspicion of blackmailing TV presenter Alison Hammond, West Midlands police has said.
The force said the man was arrested at an address in Warwickshire, West Midlands, on Saturday evening.
Police said the man remains in custody for questioning.
Ms Hammond, 48, was allegedly forced to hand over thousands of pounds to a former friend in an eight-month blackmail plot.
The blackmailer is believed to have threatened to publish false details about her private life, with Alison left "fearing for her family's safety".
Earlier, police confirmed they were looking into the claims, with enquiries "progressing swiftly".
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police told LBC: "We are investigating an allegation of blackmail of a woman in her 40s. We take reports of this kind very seriously and our enquiries are progressing swiftly."
Alison is believed to have handed over large sums of money and a £5,000 BMW car, The Sun reports.
Alison rose to fame after appearing on a series of popular TV programmes, including Big Brother and This Morning.
She was also recently announced as the new host of the Great British Bake Off.
