The Most Awesome Black Britons from Yesterday to Today

Black in Time

Hiya! Alison Hammond here! I love getting to know all about different people and I'll tell you a secret . . . sometimes people we don't know much about are the most interesting of all! Which is really what this book is all about. 
 
Let me ask you a question: How many Black people can you name from our history? Mary Seacole? Ira Aldridge? George Bridgetower? Pablo Fanque? Walter Tull? Have you heard of these people? 
 
Yes? That's great! But if you haven't, don't worry, you're not alone, which is why I'm so excited to tell you all about them. Because the people in this book should be totally famous given the AMAZING things they've done! And we're not going to stop in the past, I'll introduce you to people making waves right here and now! 
 
From sportspeople to scientists, activists to musicians, politicians to writers, we're going to meet a whole bunch of AWESOME people who have helped shape the world we live in. So, are ready for you a journey Black in time?? Course you are, let's go!

Alison Hammond (Author) Adored for her quick wit, big heart and infamous laugh, Alison is one of the UK’s most popular TV presenters, famed for her hilarious celebrity interviews! The Queen of our hearts presents ITV's 'This Morning' alongside Dermot O’Leary, gearing viewers up for the weekend. 
 
Alison also co-hosts the ultimate televised baking battle, ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off’ for C4, receiving a nomination for the ‘Entertainment Performance’ category in the 2024 RTS Programme Awards with Noel Fielding. 
 
As a firm family favourite into the evening TV schedule, Alison is a Team Captain on Sky TV’s ‘Rob Beckett’s Smart TV’ and continues the late, great Paul O’Grady’s legacy hosting ‘For the Love of Dogs’ for Battersea Dogs Home and ITV. E. L. Norry (Author) Emma Norry is an author who writes fiction and non-fiction for children. She is passionate about equal representation and diversity. Her first book, Son of the Circus (Scholastic, 2019), is part of a series that shows readers that Black and brown people have always been a part of British history. Son of the Circus, set in Victorian times, blended fact and fiction by using Pablo Fanque (the first Black circus owner) and his son Ted as inspiration. Emma has also written Amber Undercover (OUP, 2021) - a fun action-adventure spy story for ages 10+. She has many short stories in anthologies: Happy Here (Knights Of Media, 2021), The Place for Me: Stories from the Windrush (Scholastic, 2020) and The Very Merry Murder Club (Farshore, 2021). Emma's non-fiction includes biographies of Lionel Messi (Scholastic, 2020) and Nelson Mandela (Puffin, 2020). A two-book middle-grade fantasy series launches in 2023. Emma can be found on Twitter at @elnorry_writer or her website elnorry.com

Hiya! Alison Hammond here! I love getting to know all about different people and I'll tell you a secret . . . sometimes people we don't know much about are the most interesting of all! Which is really what this book is all about. 
 
Let me ask you a question: How many Black people can you name from our history? Mary Seacole? Ira Aldridge? George Bridgetower? Pablo Fanque?Walter Tull? Have you heard of these people? 
 
Yes? That's great! But if you haven't, don't worry, you're not alone, which is why I'm so excited to tell you all about them. Because the people in this book should be totally famous given the AMAZING things they've done! And we're not going to stop in the past, I'll introduce you to people making waves right here and now! 
 
From sportspeople to scientists, activists to musicians, politicians to writers, we're going to meet a whole bunch of AWESOME people who have helped shape the world we live in. So, are ready for you a journey Black in time?? Course you are, let's go!

Stories from a Life Lived to the Full

You’ve Got To Laugh

The hilarious, heartwarming and joyful memoir from much-loved presenter Alison Hammond, host of ITV's This Morning. 
 
'This woman's laugh is like gold dust' Huffington Post 
 
 '[A] national treasure' Metro 
 
 'I always say a day is wasted without laughter . . .' 
 
 Alison Hammond loves to laugh. And the nation laughs with her. Her sunny personality and zest for life have brought joy to millions and made her one of the UK's best-loved television presenters. Known for her hilarious and unforgettable interviews with Hollywood A-listers, Alison is also responsible for countless classic moments of broadcasting gold - from getting stuck on a caravan door to delivering Christmas cash dressed as an elf. 
 
 But who is Alison Hammond really, and how did she become the personality we know and love? Shaped by the influence of her incredible mum, Alison went from small roles on television shows as a youngster to that life-changing appearance on Big Brother, before landing her dream job on This Morning. And through it all, she found the joy in every day, the positives in any situation. 
 
 You've Got to Laugh gives a never-before-seen insight into Alison's life: her loves, her losses - with a side order of gossip. As well as being a hugely entertaining and uplifting read, Alison's story will inspire you to grab life with both hands and make the most of every single moment. 
 
 'Interviewer extraordinaire, reigning queen of the huns, and an out-and-out national treasure' Bustle

Adored for her quick wit, big heart and infamous laugh, Alison is one of the UK’s most popular TV presenters, famed for her hilarious celebrity interviews! The Queen of our hearts presents ITV's 'This Morning' alongside Dermot O’Leary, gearing viewers up for the weekend. 
 
Alison also co-hosts the ultimate televised baking battle, ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off’ for C4, receiving a nomination for the ‘Entertainment Performance’ category in the 2024 RTS Programme Awards with Noel Fielding. 
 
As a firm family favourite into the evening TV schedule, Alison is a Team Captain on Sky TV’s ‘Rob Beckett’s Smart TV’ and continues the late, great Paul O’Grady’s legacy hosting ‘For the Love of Dogs’ for Battersea Dogs Home and ITV.

'I always say a day is wasted without laughter . . .' 
 
Alison Hammond loves to laugh. And the nation laughs with her. Her sunny personality and zest for life have brought joy to millions and made her one of the UK's best-loved television presenters. Known for her hilarious and unforgettable interviews with Hollywood A-listers, Alison is also responsible for countless classic moments of broadcasting gold - from getting stuck on a caravan door to delivering Christmas cash dressed as an elf. 
 
But who is Alison Hammond really, and how did she become the personality we know and love? Shaped by the influence of her incredible mum, Alison went from small roles on television shows as a youngster to that life-changing appearance on Big Brother, before landing her dream job on This Morning. And through it all, she found the joy in every day, the positives in any situation. 
 
You've Got to Laugh gives a never-before-seen insight into Alison's life: her loves, her losses - with a side order of gossip. As well as being a hugely entertaining and uplifting read, Alison's story will inspire you to grab life with both hands and make the most of every single moment.

Alison Hammond

If you read one novel, make it Bombshell!

The joyful and heart-warming rom-com for 2025 from the much-loved TV presenter Alison Hammond, perfect for fans of Alexandra Potter. 
 
'I loved the whole book . . . couldn't put it down!' 5 STAR reader review 
'A fabulous debut novel . . . had me hooked from the start!' 5 STAR reader review 
'I loved this . . . I'll definitely be recommending it!' 5 STAR reader review 
 
When life takes a wayward turn, dive in head first... 
 
Family has always meant everything to Madison. Married to the nation’s heartthrob, TV handyman Rich, with two beautiful children, she’s always put their needs first. And she’s never regretted a second, even if her own career has taken a backseat. 
 
Then, out of the blue, Rich drops a bombshell. He needs some space and he’s moving out. 
 
Overwhelmed by this revelation, Madison turns to her tight-knit group of friends for help. Bolstered by their support, Madison decides to dive into the situation head first and find out what’s really going on. Even if it means turning detective on her own husband. 
 
And with her own interior-design career about to take off (once her manager stops squashing her bold ideas for his terrible ones, and provided she doesn’t get distracted by the new guy in the office), Madison’s about to rediscover her own worth. 
 
She’s a bombshell, after all…

Alison Hammond

Praise for Bombshell

If you read one novel, make it Bombshell!

Books by Alison Hammond

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