Why Eamonn Holmes suddenly ‘went missing’ from his GB News show this week and why many of his worried friends now wish he’d quit work for good

When Eamonn Holmes went missing from his GB News show last week, viewers were understandably concerned. Nearly three hours into Tuesday’s breakfast show, at around 8.50am, the veteran presenter suddenly disappeared and failed to return, leaving his new co-host, Ellie Costello, to anchor alone.

Many have speculated his ongoing health battles were behind the abrupt departure. It is no secret the 65-year-old’s mobility has declined significantly following a double hip replacement and surgery for three slipped discs.

He has himself described his chronic back pain as ‘intense’ and admitted that he can ‘no longer walk or look after himself’.

But although Eamonn has worked stoically through these troubles, his colleagues at the broadcaster are now privately expressing genuine concern. Three days a week they watch him arrive at GB News’s west London headquarters in the early hours of the morning, and struggling so much that he has to be wheeled on and off set.

Sources admit it is ‘heartbreaking’ to watch the popular star in such discomfort, with one saying: ‘He looks so sad so much of the time. He looks like he’s in pain and it’s awful to watch.

‘He should be at home resting but instead he’s up at the crack of dawn to start the show. He’s 65 years old, he looks so frail. You can’t help but feel sorry for him.

Eamonn Holmes’s absence from his GB News show has left co-host Ellie Costello no choice but to anchor it alone

‘You literally never see him walk, he gets wheeled into the studio and then on to the set. It works but he looks terribly uncomfortable, then he gets wheeled off home and you just hope he goes for a really long sleep.’

Then, of course, he disappeared midway through a broadcast and failed to return.

‘The talk of GB News last week was Eamonn vanishing,’ the source added. ‘He is much loved there – but you look at him and you wonder how much longer he can do this for.’

Even for someone like Eamonn, who has been in the industry for 45 years, the hours are gruelling. He joined the news channel in January 2022, a few months after he was axed from his role on ITV’s This Morning, to present its breakfast programme.

Eamonn and Ellie go on air at 6am, meaning he has to be up by 4.30am to be chauffeur-driven the 13-mile journey from his bachelor pad in Kingston, south-west London to the studios in Paddington. Once there, he has his make-up done, all while reading the day’s news before the cameras start rolling.

He is, of course, used to the early hours. He was once the king of breakfast television during his 12-year run as the anchor of ITV’s morning show GMTV, which he hosted alongside Anthea Turner and later Fiona Phillips.

The former This Morning frontman is pictured in a wheelchair in September with girlfriend Katie Alexander. One source admits the 65-year-old now ‘looks so frail’

After leaving in 2005, he spent another 11 years on the early shift for Sky hosting their Sunrise programme between 5am and 9.30am. He went on to host This Morning alongside his now-estranged wife, Ruth Langsford, for 15 years.

Friends of Eamonn tell me he ‘loves’ working – but, given the circumstances, they would rather he wasn’t. His passion for the job isn’t the only thing keeping him in the industry, however. The star has also suffered financial woes and is said to feel as though his life has been destroyed by a long-running battle with the tax office.

The dispute centred on his claim that he was working as a freelancer during his time at ITV, and received payments via his company, which allowed him to pay less tax. But HMRC concluded he was technically a staff member – and reportedly ordered him to pay £250,000. He has appealed twice, spending vast sums on lawyers, and last year he was forced to sell his home in his native Belfast to pay some of the bill.

I’m told the fallout from the row is rumbling on, but the damage is almost irreparable. In fact, Eamonn himself says the taxman has ‘taken everything’ from him. That means he must keep earning, regardless of any health problems.

He and fellow GB News presenter Paul Coyte had planned to host a live theatre show, which was set to tour around the country. But that was axed last month amid claims of poor ticket sales.

Those who know Eamonn describe it as a ‘relief’, as they feared a lengthy tour would ‘take its toll on him dramatically’.

But not to be deterred, Eamonn has announced that he and Coyte will host a podcast featuring interviews with high-profile stars. ‘Eamonn is a grafter, but he almost certainly wouldn’t be doing this amount of work if it wasn’t for his financial situation,’ said a friend.

While he may be keeping busy, Eamonn’s autumnal years in television are not as fans might have expected. He was once so popular with the British public that tabloid newspapers and magazines such as Hello! would see huge spikes in sales when he was featured on their front covers.

Eamonn was also, with Ruth, the life and soul of the party. I recall seeing the pair at a book launch for their ITV colleague, Ross King, at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London’s Knightsbridge.

The couple were gregarious, chatty and giggling as they sipped on free-flowing champagne. Eamonn’s easy Northern Irish charm and wit made him great company and, while he would be the first to say he doesn’t get on with everyone (including Anthea Turner, after he nicknamed her ‘Princess Tippytoes’, and the ITV bosses who sacked him), those who know him say he is ‘incredibly loyal’.

Eamonn presented This Morning with his former wife of 14 years, Ruth Langsford. The couple ended their marriage last year

As a double act, he and Ruth were broadcasting gold and they were inundated with lucrative offers to endorse products. It allowed them to live a comfortable life in their £3.2million house in Weybridge, Surrey.

But since their split last May, after 14 years of marriage and 27 as a couple, life has become rather more stressful. It is not hard to imagine that, given everything else that’s been going on, it has been especially hard for Eamonn.

The house, where Ruth still lives, likely must be sold, and the financial side of the divorce is said to be ‘unbelievably complicated’. ‘He thought they would be together forever,’ says a friend of his. ‘The last thing you need when you’re in your mid-60s is a divorce. It throws everything up into the air.’

But he has found at least one joy in a new relationship with 43-year-old therapist Katie Alexander, who he met online. She has been seen at his side at various showbusiness events and on a luxury Mediterranean cruise – a freebie Eamonn received as part of an endorsement deal he has with holiday company Not Just Travel.

While it is not known whether they are living together, Eamonn loves her company. The big question his friends have is whether a girlfriend 22 years his junior will be enough to keep a smile on his face.

‘Eamonn loves female company,’ said one. ‘And he loves spending time with Katie. She’s wonderful to him and they do lovely things despite Eamonn’s obvious mobility issues. He really tries to enjoy his life. But it’s a struggle, even with Katie at his side.’