Alison Hammond 'really upset' as she takes swipe at Bake Off co-star Paul Hollywood

Alison Hammond has opened up about her disappointment with Paul Hollywood during the filming of The Great New Year's Bake Off.

Following the crowning of Emmerdale actor Chris Bisson in The Great Christmas Bake Off, the judges have had no respite as they gear up for the New Year's edition of the beloved baking show.

The upcoming Hogmanay special will see Scottish contestants from previous seasons return to the iconic Bake Off tent for a celebration of their heritage through delectable bakes.

In a nod to the Scottish theme, the judges and presenters donned themed attire, and even a traditional ceilidh band was brought in to add to the festive atmosphere.

Yet, amidst the revelry, Alison couldn't hide her irritation with Bake Off stalwart Paul Hollywood over his clothing choices, reports Birmingham Live.

She expressed her enthusiasm for the event, saying: "Oh, it was brilliant, it was so much fun. I'll get up on my feet and start dancing. I'm straight in there."

But she revealed her grievance, noting: "Paul wore a kilt... and so did Prue. Well, she wore a tartan skirt... And Paul did wear his pants underneath. We were really upset!"

Alison also shared her joy at seeing Nicky, a contestant from the last series, return: "Nicky from last series was back, so that was really nice. They were my first Bake Off babies, so it was lovely seeing her again."

The contest kicks off with the Signature challenge, which involves a traditional dish that not everyone might appreciate, followed by a Technical challenge set by Paul and Prue for the bakers to create a quintessential Scottish treat, shortbread.

In the Showstopper challenge, the bakers whipped up a cranachan creation, paying homage to the traditional dessert that typically combines oats, whisky, honey, raspberries and cream.

Alison, who joined the Bake Off team in 2023, was left in fits of laughter during the show's Christmas special. The episode saw a face-off for the festive title between EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy, Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Bisson, EastEnders' Dean Gaffney, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star Sheree Murphy, and Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati.

During the episode, Natalie, known for her role as Sonia Fowler in EastEnders, shared with Alison that June Brown, who played Dot Cotton, had once told her, "darling, it's like pooing a melon", when she was due to give birth on the show as Sonia at just 15 years old.

The This Morning host has been celebrating her impressive 11-stone weight loss recently. She opened up to Good Housekeeping magazine about how she began seeing a personal trainer twice a week after discovering she was pre-diabetic.

She revealed: ""Just before she died, mum said to me 'If you can, sort out your weight, Alison' and that really set it in my head.

"My mum had type 2 diabetes and she was worried for me, so when I then found out that I was pre-diabetic, that was frightening. I thought 'I have to be an adult about this'. The sweets had to stop and the fatty foods."

The Great New Year's Bake Off is set to air at 7.40pm on Channel 4 on Friday, January 3.