Alison Hammond in This Morning takeover: I am the boss!

The presenter served as guest editor of the ITV daytime show, and also hosted with Dermot O’Leary.

The crew all wore T-shirts with pictures of her face printed on them, while a tap-dancing troupe opened the show at her request.

Sitting on the sofa, Hammond told viewers: “This morning is all going to be a little bit different, because I am the boss, everybody!

“But don’t worry, I’m not one of those people that lets it go to my head, I have changed a few things but I have kept it nice and subtle, sophisticated.

“I’ve got cushions, it’s very charming. It’s a little bit like me really – charming, subtle, beautiful. Isn’t this nice?

“Although it is the worst day ever, because I’ve forgotten my mobile phone today so I’ve got no pictures or no record of this, this is my own show and I can’t even record it, so can you all take loads of pictures and send them to me on Instagram?”

After initially jokingly moaning “who signed this off?…how did this happen?”, O’Leary declared: “Every day needs to be an Alison day!”

At the end of the show, Hammond said: “Well, the sad news is we’ve come to the end of my edit. How did I do? Did you enjoy it? Well, I’ve had the best day ever!”

Martin Frizell, editor of This Morning, praised Hammond for her efforts, saying: “Hats off to Alison, she pulled it out of the bag and was the tonic we needed at the end of another tough week, especially for our viewers in the north.

“And all credit to Dermot for doing what he was told – although like all of us, he had no option!”