Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary boost This Morning’s viewing figures by 44 per cent

PUTTING Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary in the hosts' seat of This Morning has proved a huge hit for ITV.

Their ratings are 44 per cent higher than their predecessors Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes.

The presenters' debut show Friday 8 January drew in 1.41million viewers, 200,000 more than tuned in for Eamonn and Ruth's final episode in December.

That's a whopping 44 per cent increase and 21 per cent of the audience share.

Ruth and Eamonn did not sign off with a whimper, managing to bag 23 per cent of the audience for their final shows.

It was a successful start for the new pairing, with viewers branding Alison the programme's "best ever host".

The bubbly 45-year-old sang and laughed her way through the morning, alongside the smooth X Factor host, 47.

Show bosses left Eamonn, 61, and Ruth, 60, stunned late last year when they revealed a major shake-up to the presenting line-up.

Ruth reportedly felt blindside by the move that saw her and Eamonn relegated to holiday cover after 14 years as Friday hosts.

Alison and Dermot impressed when they were put together to host last summer.

ITV wanted more diversity in its programming and felt the time was right for a change on its flagship daytime show.

A source previously told us: "Eamonn and Ruth are incredibly popular with viewers and loved across the board.

"No one wants to see them go. The shows execs have some very tricky decisions. Eamonn fears he is basically too ‘pale, stale and male’, and, at 60, perhaps not in line with the youth drive broadcasters are after."

The ratings boon came as Ruth made an emotional return to hosting Loose Women.

The 60-year-old presenter hosted Loose Women on Monday - admitting that people had thought she'd quit the show.

The star explained: "People were asking if I'd left. I'm delighted to be back."

She teased the panel in the studio, which included Janet Street-Porter and Linda Robson, about where she had been.

Ruth explained: "I took some time off. I don't want to make you jealous where I've been beacuse I know it's difficult."

Asked if she's been anywhere exotic, she replied: "It was actually quite chilly. It was my front drive because I've got a skip."

Eamonn revealed he and Ruth were "getting on with our lives" after their final show as This Morning's regular Friday hosts.

However, they will return to This Morning in the February half term, as they made clear in their farewell tweet.

Ruth and Eamonn posted: "We hope you make Alison and Dermot as welcome as you’ve made us over the years. Have a Ball you two!

"It’s not Goodbye from us, it’s simply Au Revoir until the next half term."