Alison Hammond has been recognised as Honorary Gay at the 2026 Attitude Awards, celebrating her warmth, humour and longstanding bond with the LGBTQ+ community. Unable to attend after a difficult week, the much-loved presenter sent a heartfelt message that mixed classic Hammond comedy with a candid reflection on vulnerability and acceptance.

Essential Takeaways

  • A major honour: Hammond joins a line-up of women previously given the title, including Lorraine Kelly and Elizabeth Hurley.
  • Kate Lawler stepped in: Her former Big Brother housemate accepted the award and read Hammond's speech.
  • A personal message: Hammond spoke about a recent panic attack and the emotional aftermath of leaving This Morning early.
  • A familiar joke: She praised Dermot O'Leary as the “gayest straight man” she knows.
  • A wider celebration: The London ceremony brought together LGBTQ+ figures and allies from entertainment, sport and culture.

Alison Hammond's big Attitude Awards moment

Alison Hammond's appeal has never depended on a perfectly polished television persona. It's the laugh, the warmth and the sense that she could turn an ordinary sofa interview into a small national event. That easy connection helped make her a natural choice for Honorary Gay at the Attitude Awards 2026.

The ceremony, held at London's Roundhouse, celebrated LGBTQ+ talent and allies across film, television, music and sport. Attitude's winners coverage placed Hammond among a broader group of notable names, underlining that the evening was as much about community as it was about individual trophies.

Hammond couldn't collect the award herself, but her absence didn't make the moment feel any less personal. In fact, the speech delivered on her behalf gave the honour an unexpectedly intimate edge.

Kate Lawler delivers a message full of affection

Kate Lawler accepted the award for Hammond, drawing on a friendship that began when the pair appeared on Big Brother more than two decades ago. The choice felt neatly full circle: two familiar faces from reality television, now sharing a warm moment at a major LGBTQ+ cultural event.

Lawler read Hammond's words in a Brummie accent, preserving the playful spirit that viewers associate with the presenter. According to Attitude, Hammond joked about missing the ceremony and suggested that her recent on-air drama might itself qualify for an award.

There was plenty of teasing, too. Hammond praised Dermot O'Leary for supporting her, then called him the “gayest straight man” she knows. It's the sort of affectionate line that lands because it sounds unmistakably like her, rather than like a carefully engineered acceptance speech.

Why the honour means more than a punchline

Behind the jokes, Hammond addressed a much more serious experience. She had suffered a panic attack during This Morning the previous week and said the aftermath had left her feeling vulnerable.

That honesty matters. Celebrity award speeches often arrive neatly packaged, but Hammond's message acknowledged that public confidence can wobble, even for someone known for filling a room with energy. Attitude's reporting highlighted her reflection that vulnerability isn't weakness, a sentiment that gives the award a deeper emotional centre.

Her connection with the LGBTQ+ community also goes beyond television banter. Hammond said the community had taught her about acceptance, self-expression and the importance of finding people with whom you can be yourself. Those are familiar ideas, but her delivery made them feel lived-in rather than ceremonial.

A growing tradition of honorary allies

Hammond joins a recognisable tradition at the Attitude Awards. Previous recipients have included Lorraine Kelly and Elizabeth Hurley, creating a playful but affectionate roll call of high-profile women embraced by LGBTQ+ audiences.

The award works because it balances camp humour with genuine appreciation. It celebrates the ally who shows up, understands the joke and makes people feel seen, without pretending to speak over the community itself. That distinction is important, particularly as audiences become more alert to shallow gestures dressed up as solidarity.

The wider winners list included performers, creators and cultural figures from across the entertainment world. The Evening Standard's coverage of the ceremony reflected the breadth of the event, while Attitude's companion reporting also highlighted major moments involving figures such as Donatella Versace.

What Hammond's speech says about public vulnerability

There is a reason Hammond's comments have resonated beyond the award itself. Viewers have watched her build a career on spontaneity and exuberance, so hearing her admit that she had been in a fragile place offered a reminder that public confidence isn't the same as private certainty.

It also showed why representation and community can feel practical, not abstract. Being accepted as you are, having people who understand and being allowed to recover without embarrassment can make a real difference. Hammond's words connected those ideas to the values she associates with LGBTQ+ audiences.

For fans, the most reassuring detail may be that the humour remained intact. She didn't abandon the big laugh or the cheeky one-liner; she simply placed them alongside honesty. That's a more believable kind of resilience, and perhaps the most Alison Hammond response of all.

A memorable night for LGBTQ+ culture

The 2026 Attitude Awards arrived as a substantial celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, with the magazine's 15th anniversary adding extra significance to the occasion. Alongside awards for individual achievements, the night offered a snapshot of a creative community still shaping mainstream entertainment.

Hammond's recognition fitted that mood perfectly. She's not being celebrated for claiming an identity that isn't hers, but for the affection, allyship and joy she has brought to LGBTQ+ audiences over many years. The award is deliberately tongue-in-cheek, yet the feeling behind it is sincere.

And while she wasn't in the room, her message still managed to take centre stage. Sometimes the most memorable acceptance speech is the one that arrives with a little less polish and a great deal more heart.

It's a warm, funny and surprisingly candid honour for one of Britain's most beloved presenters.

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