They aren’t the worries you’d expect to hear from a showbiz veteran, but Eamonn Holmes has admitted that he’s had concerns about ‘staying relevant’ for months.
Before it was announced that Eamonn and Ruth Langsford’s This Morning slot on Fridays would be taken over by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, the presenter, 61, was already worried about his TV career, confessing, ‘Getting on the conveyor belt is tough, but staying on it is harder.’
During their last Friday on the show, Eamonn lashed out when discussing half-price Christmas trees he’d seen. When Ruth said, ‘They’re struggling to get rid of them, I suppose,’ Eamonn ranted, ‘That’s the obvious conclusion. Which is why they’re getting rid of us on a Friday now.’
The broadcaster seemed to make a dig at his colleagues Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield – who will remain on This Morning every Monday to Thursday – when he and Ruth interviewed the cast members of The Real Housewives of Jersey. Eamonn appeared to snub Holly and Phil when he said to Ruth, ‘Imagine if we had The Real TV Presenters of ITV. We’d have Piers Morgan and me, and Lorraine and you.’ He also hit out at ‘presenters who talk over their guests’, saying, ‘It never ceases to amaze me how few interviewers take the time to talk to their guests.’
However, a source has revealed, ‘Ruth and Eamonn feel humiliated about being put out to pasture. But they’ve been advised to keep shtum or risk losing more work. It could damage their brand if they lash out.’ Losing his beloved career has clearly been on Eamonn’s mind for some time, as he’s spoken about how difficult it is to remain popular in the TV world.
Potentially predicting his fate earlier this year, he said, ‘I think things will change. TV companies are going to look at costs. I’m not working, basically. Everything in the diary is cancelled.’
And he knows just how important it is for presenters to stay at the top of their game. ‘Staying in employment, people like me have got to stay relevant,’ he said.
Yet despite being one of the most successful broadcasters in the country, the presenter wasn’t asked to cover any of the American election. ‘Feel a bit lost not being involved in any broadcasts tomorrow,’ he said the day before.
We hope to see you on our screens again soon, Eamonn!
