Alison Hammond interviewing a tree on This Morning is an instantly iconic daytime TV moment

Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson, Mariah Carey, Ryan Gosling - Alison Hammond has charmed some of the world’s biggest stars.

On Wednesday though, she met her match in an unusually wooden interviewee who refused to be won over. Yes, she interviewed an actual tree.

Hammond, 45, travelled from the ITV studios in London to Liverpool’s Calderstones Park to meet the oak and self-described “tree whisperer” Holly Worton.

The presenter explained that the oak is the UK’s entry for the European Tree of the Year award and in an unexpected (and, quite frankly, completely bizarre) turn of events, she then interviewed the plant.

“Do we need to touch the tree?,” she asked Holly. “Do I just ask the tree a question?”

She continued: “First of all, you are up for this amazing, prestigious title. How does it feel to be nominated for European Tree Of The Year?”

After a brief pause, Holly - speaking on behalf of the tree… - replied: “It feels very exciting, it's an honour to be recognised in this way.

“Well if people get out there and vote for me, they're really good. This is a community and the more people that come to see me will come to see them as well.

“All of the people standing here and all the people that have come, walking through this park.”

The whole thing was… odd. And viewers obviously commended Hammond’s ability to keep a straight face:

This is far from the first time Hammond has taken charge of a slightly surreal This Morning segment.

In July last year, she managed to keep a straight face as a viewer married her dog on the show.

She also narrowly avoided a totally disastrous on-air moment while reviving the show’s old weather segment, live from the Albert Dock.

While enthusiastically delivering the forecast, Hammond accidentally knocked one of her helpers into the water, leaving Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield in hysterics.