This Morning’s Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson to go head to head as they discover the quirkiest UK staycations… after talking ‘every day’ during lockdown
Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson will go head to head this autumn as they compete to find This Morning viewers the quirkiest UK holiday destinations.
With many Brits booking holidays closer to home in the weeks following lockdown, the presenters have teamed up for new daytime segment Alison and Josie’s Staycation Showdown.
Celebrating the very best of Britain, they will take to the road with some good natured rivalry in order to uncover the most exciting – and the most unconventional – places to visit.
Coming soon: Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson will go head to head this autumn as they compete to find This Morning viewers the quirkiest UK holiday destinations
Converted aeroplanes, a WWII bunker and a treehouse are just some of the unique destinations expected to feature in the new four-part series when it airs on This Morning in September.
Reflecting on the new segment, Alison, 45, said: ‘Well we’ve not finished all the filming yet, but essentially this is all about trying to get one up on Josie with regards to staycations around the UK!
‘I’m going to try and do my best to find somewhere cool, and then she’ll come up and try and beat it with a better one. We are going to find some weird and wonderful places, it’s gonna be great fun.’
Latest venture: With many Brits now booking holidays closer to home, the presenters have teamed up for new daytime segment Alison and Josie’s Staycation Showdown
Despite going head to head for the new series, Alison insists she and Josie, 35, are actually the best of friends and remained in constant touch after Britain went into isolation.
She said: ‘Josie and I are really close and we were in touch during the whole of lockdown. We literally spoke to each other every day!
‘To be honest, it’s just a great excuse for us to just go and have a bit of a holiday together! I think just having a break away with a friend, away from the kids for a little bit, will be nice. A small bit of normality after lockdown.
Getting involved: Celebrating the very best of Britain, they will take to the road with some good natured rivalry in order to uncover the most exciting – and the most unconventional – places to visit
‘I mean, going abroad can be so overrated. I think staying in the UK is brilliant and it’s the way forward for me at the moment, and I’m sure a lot of other families too.’
Josie added: ‘Alison was actually the person that got me through lockdown. I was actually a bit of a wet noodle through lockdown, because I thought I was a lot stronger than I was and she was just there for me on the phone every night, and we decided to get very spiritual together.
‘Being around Alison is just like having a permanent hug – her personality and her energy. I don’t know how we’re going to get any filming done with this series, because literally when I come home from a day of filming with Alison I can’t even feel my face where I’ve been laughing so hard!’
Exciting times: The new four-part series will air on This Morning in September, and the girls can’t wait to get started
Alison also revealed her favourite holiday companion is son Aidan, with whom she shares a house in her native Birmingham.
She said: ‘I love it because when we go on holiday together he hasn’t got his computer games with him and he becomes a normal child and is someone that actually wants to speak to me!
‘I love a holiday with Aidan, just some quality mother and son time, you can’t beat it. He’s growing up so much and he is just lovely to be around.’
Alison and Josie’s Staycation Showdown will air on ITV’s This Morning from Monday 28th September at 10am.