GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes has candidly shared memories of his first marriage during a Valentine’s Day segment with co-anchor Ellie Costello, after his split from second wife Ruth Langsford.
Caught off guard by a question about if he remembered his first Valentine, Eamonn quipped: “I married her.”
His remark surprised Ellie, prompting an affectionate reaction as she said: “Aww that’s so nice.” He was referencing his former wife Gabrielle, whom he wed in 1985 and is the mother of three of his children – Declan, Rebecca, and Niall.
However, the former couple’s marriage ended after a decade with Eamonn later attributing part of the strain to his demanding work schedule at GMTV which kept him in London during the week, only returning to Belfast on weekends.
In his 2008 autobiography, ‘This Is My Life: The Autobiography’, he expressed: “We tended to be apart during the week because of my job, and I had no trouble with that – though Gabrielle obviously did.
“I always believed absence would make the heart grow fonder and, in fact, the commuting heightened my desperation for her, made the time less bearable and longer.”
Nevertheless, Eamonn recognised his absences meant Gabrielle created a life with the children that sometimes left him feeling like an outsider when he came home, Belfast Live reports.
His father’s passing in 1991 plunged Eamonn into deep sorrow, prompting him to seek a closer connection with his wife during those difficult days. Unfortunately, by that time, their relationship had already become remote.
Eamonn revealed: “Gabrielle was increasingly indifferent and I didn’t know why. I needed her close, I needed her to reach me and ease my pain, but she had concerns of her own, principal of which was an impending birth.”
After their separation, Eamonn encountered Ruth Langsford via a GMTV colleague. Their attraction was instant, leading to a relationship that spanned 28 years.
Together they celebrated the arrival of their son, Jack, and ultimately exchanged vows on 26 June 2010 at the captivating Elvetham Hall in Hampshire. Their nuptials were the talk of the town, prompting Hello! magazine to showcase the event over two issues.
Post Eamonn’s exit from a successful stint co-presenting with Ruth on ITV’s This Morning in 2021, there seemed to be a growing distance between them. Speaking to TalkTV, Eamonn explained: “Although we live together, we’re not really together… Ruth likes her own space [and] when we do This Morning it’s a rare time we actually interrelate.”
Fans were nevertheless surprised when the pair announced they were parting ways in May last year, drawing a curtain on their 28-year long relationship, with 14 of those years as a married couple.