Eamonn Holmes bids final farewell to This Morning viewers and thanks fans after axe
‘We’re getting on with our lives’: Eamonn Holmes thanks fans for ‘overwhelming’ support after This Morning axe in emotional video… amid claims he was ‘sick of office politics’
- It was revealed last month that the presenters, both 60, who fill in for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Fridays, had been axed from the weekly slot
- They have been replaced by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary
- Friday was their final show and during the episode Eamonn made a cheeky jibe about bosses ‘getting rid’ of the married couple
- Holly, 39, and Phil, 58, failed to reference the couple’s last day on their own social media accounts, while Alison and Dermot praised their predecessors
- However, Holly did ‘Like’ Eamonn’s farewell post
- There have been long-standing rumours of unrest behind-the-scenes at This Morning and even claims of an ITV ‘civil war’ among presenters
Eamonn Holmes has said he and wife Ruth Langsford are ‘going to get on with their lives’ after their final Friday hosting This Morning.
It was revealed last month that the couple, who fill in for Holly and Phillip on Fridays, had been cut from their weekly slot to be replaced with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.
In light of their exit, the 60-year-old thanked their fans for their ‘overwhelming’ messages of support following their axing in a heartfelt video posted to Instagram on Saturday.
He began: ‘Hi everyone, just want to say something to you all from the bottom of my heart and that is thank you.
‘Ruth and I have been overwhelmed yesterday and today by the amount of messages and we’ll be replying via social media, by emails, by texts, by Whatsapp, by whatever way we can.
‘But can I just generally say thank you, thank you, thank you,’ the presenter continued. ‘We do feel the love, really appreciate it but stop it, stop it now.
‘It’s Christmas time, Mistletoe and Wine. We’ve all got things to do so thank you, get on with your lives, we certainly intend to get on with ours and look, things are looking up.
Moving on: Eamonn Holmes has said he and wife Ruth Langsford are ‘going to get on with their lives’ after their final Friday hosting This Morning
Hosting duties: The pair have filled in for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Fridays for 15 years
‘My sty is nearly gone, the sun is shining and I just want to say to all of you. Have a very merry Christmas and please stay safe. Thank you very, very much all of you.’
In the sincere clip, the Northern Irish broadcaster was seen in a black T-shirt sitting on his couch while his Christmas Tree twinkled in their background.
He captioned the post: ‘Your messages are the best Christmas presents Ruth and I could have wished for. From the bottom of our Hearts. Thank you, Thank you.’
On Friday, it was reported that Eamonn told friends he was ‘sick of office politics’ ahead of his final Friday on This Morning.
The TV presenter made a thinly-veiled dig during the show as he compared the couple to an unwanted Christmas tree, which appeared to be a reflection of his feelings about being ousted.
Gratitude: In light of their exit, the 60-year-old thanked their fans for their ‘overwhelming’ messages of support following their axing in a heartfelt video posted to Instagram
On the mend: He also told his followers that his sty was nearly healed
Friends of the star told the Sun Eamonn was ‘gutted’ about the decision, after he and Ruth were demoted to holiday cover hosts, while Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will replace them on a Friday.
They told the publication: ‘Eamonn understands things change in broadcasting — he’s an old hand at this now.
‘But the situation at This Morning has felt fraught for a while and the office politics surrounding their future has been bubbling away under the surface.
‘He was gutted to be moved from the Friday slot with Ruth. There was no malice with his comment on air, it was more just an expression of sadness.’ MailOnline contacted Eamonn’s rep for further comment at the time.
Fed up: Eamonn reportedly told friends he was ‘sick of office politics’ ahead of his final Friday hosting This Morning
Radio silence? Holly, 39, and Phil, 58, failed to reference the presenting couple’s last day on their own social media accounts, while Alison and Dermot praised their predecessors
This Morning main presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have stayed quiet as Ruth and Eamonn celebrated their final show this week amid rumours of a rift.
Holly, 39, and Phil, 58, failed to reference the presenting couple’s last day on their own social media accounts, while Alison and Dermot praised their predecessors.
Holly did however ‘Like’ Eamonn’s farewell post.
While Holly appeared absent from her Instagram page all day, Phil gave his followers a look at his gin advent calendar on his Stories this afternoon.
Like! Holly did however ‘Like’ Eamonn’s farewell post
There has been long-running speculation about a rift between the married couple and Phil, as it was reported earlier this year Ruth had made a formal complaint about Phil.
Viewers noted their frosty interaction at the National Television Awards in January and took to Twitter to comment on their awkward on-stage chemistry at the time, after the show picked up the award in the Live Magazine Show category.
However it appeared that their feud had thawed weeks later as Ruth embraced Phil after he came out as gay on live television during an interview with his friend Holly.
Awkward: There has been long-running speculation about a rift between the married couple and Phil, as it was reported earlier this year that Ruth had made a formal complaint about Phil
It was revealed on 30 November that Ruth and Eamonn, both 60, who fill in for Holly and Phillip on Fridays, had been cut from their weekly slot to be replaced with Alison and Dermot O’Leary.
After the married presenting duo fought back tears during their final Friday show on This Morning, Alison took to Twitter to share a sweet message.
The presenter tweeted: ‘A class above the rest @EamonnHolmes @RuthieeL,’ followed by a heart emoji.
Reaction: Viewers noted their frosty interaction at the National Television Awards in January and took to Twitter to comment on their awkward on-stage chemistry at the time
Hugging it out! However it appeared that their feud had thawed weeks later as Ruth embraced Phil after he came out as gay on live television during an interview with his friend Holly
‘A class above the rest!’ After the married presenting duo fought back tears during their final Friday show on This Morning, Alison took to Twitter to share a sweet message.
The duo appeared on screen for their last show, during which Eamonn made a dig about bosses ‘getting rid’ of them during a chat about discounted trees, before the pair both grew emotional while saying goodbye.
Ruth swiftly shot down the comment and continued the show, while Eamonn took to Instagram to mark their final day with an emotional post, in which he penned: ‘Thanks for the memories, hope we made some for you too.’
He also tweeted: ‘Bye bye to you all on a Friday folks …. Hopefully see u next February for half-term This Morning. Thanks for having us and please have a safe and Merry Christmas.’
Farewell! During their sign off, Eamonn said: ‘You won’t be watching us anymore on a Friday, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be here on Fridays here on in’
During their sign off, Eamonn said: ‘You won’t be watching us anymore on a Friday, Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary will be here on Fridays here on in….
‘Please we would ask you to be as nice and lovely to them, friends of ours as they are, we’re very close to Alison and she has been to us for the past 15 years…
‘We appreciate all of the love you have sent to us today, we send it all back to you, have a very merry Christmas, it’s been lovely having you and I think we will see everybody again.’
Ruth added: ‘We will see everybody again in February, you’ve haven’t got rid of us, we’re back for the half term. So it’s a tricky year for everybody and we hope we helped you a little bit and thank you, have a merry Christmas see you in February’.
Eamonn, who has been demoted with his wife to hosting during school holidays, said: ‘Do you know what I saw yesterday? Outside the opticians was a man selling Christmas trees, discounting them by half price.’
As Ruth responded: ‘They’re struggling to get rid of them, I suppose’, Eamonn responded: ‘I would say so darling. That’s the obvious conclusion. Which is why they’re getting rid of us on a Friday after all this time.’
Shooting him down in jest, Ruth simply said: ‘Oh stop!’
Prior to the show, Eamonn gave a nod to their final day in his Instagram post which saw him and Ruth on-stage at the National Television Awards.
With the picture, he penned a caption reading: ‘We bow out of 15 years of our Friday slot on This Morning today. Thanks for the memories hope we made some for you too. Until February May it be a Happy Christmas to you all.’
In with the new: It was revealed on 30 November that the presenters had been axed from their weekly slot to be replaced with Alison and Dermot (pictured in August)
Beneath the picture, Dermot penned: ‘Masterclass. Humbled to be in your wake.’
During the show, Stephen Mulhern said: ‘I’m really going to miss you two on Fridays I’m really going to miss you’, to which Ruth thanked him.
After it was confirmed that Alison and Dermot would be replacing the couple, a media storm exploded with talk of rage behind-the-scenes.
When the news was announced, both Eamonn and his wife Ruth shared a sweet message to This Morning’s new Friday hosts Alison and Dermot amid rift rumours.
Shocker: Eamonn said: ‘Do you know what I saw yesterday? Outside the opticians was a man selling Christmas trees, discounting them by half price’
The two stars both sent out an identical statement which read: ‘It’s a changing of the guard on Fridays from January. 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.’
The incoming presenters will begin their new coveted jobs on January 8, joining a lineup that also includes main hosts Phillip and Holly.
Breaking her silence on the shake-up following weeks of speculation, Alison, said in a statement: ‘I never dreamt that when I first joined This Morning – initially for a few months – that I would still be there 19 years later.
A tribute: Prior to the show, Eamonn gave nod to their final day in his Instagram post which saw him on stage at the National Television Awards
Sweet: While Eamonn wrote an impassioned message, Dermot penned a touching response in which he stated he would be ‘humbled’ to take over
‘I genuinely care about the show and the viewers who watch, so it’s a huge privilege and honour to be hosting a show I adore so much. I’m just really excited to be doing even more of what I love alongside the lovely Dermot.’
Sharing his own statement, co-host Dermot said: ‘I’m deeply thrilled and honoured to be joining the This Morning team next year. We have huge shoes to fill and we are well aware what a privilege it is to be stepping into them.
‘Above all, we want to have fun and for you to be able to kick your weekend off with a smile, especially given the year we’ve all had.
‘So I’m delighted to be co-hosting with the living embodiment of sunshine on a rainy day. I can’t wait to get started.’
The news comes after Alison revealed that presenters on This Morning aren’t the best of friends, amid claims she’s locked in a feud with Ruth and Eamonn.
New year, new hosts: The incoming presenters will begin their new coveted jobs on January 8, joining a lineup that also includes main hosts Phillip and Holly
In an interview conducted before the shakeup was revealed, Alison claimed that only main hosts Holly and Phillip are off-camera pals.
The TV personality, who attended Ruth and Eamonn’s 2010 wedding, told The Sun: ‘We’re not on top of each other, do you know what I mean?
‘Phillip and Holly, they go on holiday together. They genuinely love each other, in a brother and sister way.
‘But literally when we finish everyone wants to go home to their families and see them. We’ve got it just right I think. But no they all go and do their own thing.’
It came after Alison shared a cryptic message, as she took to her Instagram account to tell her followers that ‘strong people don’t tear down others’.
The happy couple: The married duo have been on the show for 15 years
Days earlier, Ruth was forced to deny she was making a dig at Alison, after it was revealed the former Big Brother star will replace her on the flagship daytime show.
Amid the ongoing drama, Alison posted a cartoon picture of a girl and a dolphin rising to the surface of the ocean together, with the words: ‘Strong people don’t put others down. They lift them up.’
The post received an outpouring of love from Alison’s followers and her celebrity pals, with Martine McCutcheon commenting: ‘Yes. 100 percent.’
This Morning’s resident medic, Dr. Zoe Williams commented with a heart and 100% emojis. Ruth previously denied that her comments were ‘directed at anyone in particular’ after criticising reality stars and their rise to fame in a resurfaced interview
Elsewhere on the show, Eamonn approached Matthew Wright to see if his mullet was real before Ruth scolded him due to corona restrictions.
Having been told off, he swiftly said: ‘Oh I’ve been told I can’t, social distancing. I just wanted to see if it was clipped on’.
