Inside Alison Hammond’s secret relationship with hunky landscape gardener who still lives with parents
ALISON Hammond has grown close to a hunky landscape gardener after revealing her love for a mystery man she is “willing to marry”.
The besotted TV favourite, 48, who will host the Bafta awards tomorrow night, is a regular visitor to Ben Hawkins’ house.
Friends say the pair hit it off when she hired him to tend to her Midlands property nearly two years ago.
Brummie Alison and Ben were seen arriving at his family home in Worcestershire last Monday just after 10.30am.
This Morning host Alison, 48, sat in her silver Mercedes 4×4 while Ben headed inside.
She followed him in a few minutes later.
They were spotted again on Tuesday — Valentine’s Day — arriving back in the evening.
A pal said: “They love to hang out and have been for meals and down to the pub.
“They’re both down to earth and get on like a house on fire.
“She makes him laugh and Alison thinks it’s cute he still lives with his parents.”
Alison has teased fans about her love interest and has told them that she is willing to marry her “mystery man”.
The former Strictly star described him as “lovely” and said on ITV’s This Morning how she’d “had him hidden for a year and a half . . . and no-one knew!”
Show co-host Dermot O’Leary, 49, was first to reveal Alison’s romance in June last year, letting slip that she was a “taken” woman.
Giggling Alison joked: “Can you believe Dermot outed me on the TV?” Speaking about her fella, she said: “He loves me to bits. He absolutely worships me and massages my feet every single day.”
In November, she told a podcast it was “a little bit” love at first sight for her, adding: “I don’t think it was love at first sight on their front.”
Alison, meanwhile, has been signed by Sky for new quiz show, In Demand.
ITV see her as a jewel in the crown of their presenting team.
In a sign of her rising stardom, she landed the prestige gig of co-hosting the Baftas with actor Richard E. Grant at the Royal Festival Hall.
Alison’s agent declined to comment last night.
