Eamonn Holmes is understood to be “seething and hurt” over Ruth Langsford’s appearance on I’m A Celeb, according to a source.
Ruth, 64, looked happy last week as she arrived in Australia to take part in the Unpacked spin-off show. However, ex-husband Eamonn, 65, was reportedly far from impressed when he found out his former beau took the trip.
A source said: “Eamonn is seething about Ruth going to the jungle as she never wanted to go away with him. She told him she hated flying! He’d always dreamed of taking her on some special trips, places they could explore and enjoy together, but every time he suggested it, she shot the idea down.
“Now, all of a sudden, she’s more than happy to hop on a plane for 22 hours each way to the other side of the world! It’s left him feeling completely baffled and a bit hurt, to be honest. It’s rubbed him up the wrong way because it feels like she’s willing to do it for the show but not for him,” they added to The Sun.
As reported by the Mirror, Ruth was flown in to Australia by ITV because she is a fellow Loose Woman colleague of Jane Moore, 62, and also works with GK Barry, 25, on the ITV show.
Before she was eliminated, Ruth said about Jane at Brisbane Airport: “I think she is doing so well. Of course I am backing her to win, but of course I have Grace as well. I have two Loose Women. Maybe it could be a double win and two Queens of the Jungle.”
Talking about Jane’s performance, she added: “I thought Jane was extraordinary in her challenge when she swam underwater. That was extremely difficult, I would not have been able to do that. She was very calm, and you noticed that the only person who didn’t scream on the bus was Jane. She is a good woman.”
Whilst out in Australia, Ruth also opened up about This Morning which is set for a shake-up after its exec producer stepped down.
Asked about the This Morning changes, she said: “I don’t know, I haven’t been on it for two years.” Asked if she would fancy going back, she said: “Never say never.” But she ruled out going into the Jungle, adding: “Absolutely not.”
Ruth confirmed her split from Eamonn last May after 14 years of being together. Eamonn recently admitted that he can’t wait for his “tough year” to be over.
Eamonn, who has also long struggled with his health, especially in the past year, revealed: “It’s been a tough year and I’ll be glad to see the back of it.” The Belfast born presenter added: “But there are lots of things to be grateful for and I hope that my health improves next year.”
The TV host has suffered from a number of health conditions in recent years and has expressed his fears that he may never be able to walk unaided again. He refused to have his hip replaced for three decades before finally undergoing surgery on both hips in 2016. Eamonn went ahead with the major op to tackle the chronic hip, leg and back pain which caused him ‘sleepless nights’ and ‘not being able to drive, let alone do anything more physically active’.
He made a good recovery from his double hip replacement and went on to lose three stone in a battle to boost his health, but said he just wished he had had it done sooner. “Waiting was the worst decision I ever made,” he told the Telegraph. “After having both of mine replaced aged 55, I haven’t had a single regret: in fact, it’s been life-changing.”
Eamonn made a red carpet appearance with his new girlfriend, Katie Alexander, at the 2024 TRIC Christmas lunch at The Londoner Hotel on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mirror has reached out to Eamonn’s reps for comment.
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