Eamonn Holmes says he's now working somewhere where they're 'pleased' to have him following dramatic split from This Morning

Eamonn Holmes has revealed the dramatic details of his departure from This Morning after 15 years on the show.

In December, Eamonn confirmed suspicions that he was leaving the ITV breakfast programme to join start-up channel GB News.

The exit from This Morning came following ITV's decision to hand Eamonn and wife Ruth Langsford's regular Friday show to Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary last year. The move left the couple as solely holiday cover for fellow presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

In a candid interview with The Sun, Eamonn finally broke his silence about the departure and his new role at GB News.

"Put it this way, I'm looking forward to a move somewhere new where they're pleased to have me," he said. "But I wish everyone well at ITV."

"When I went in to meet the GB News team for the first time recently the guys actually clapped as I came in. It was very moving, and felt lovely. I can't wait to get started."

Eamonn is heading up the breakfast show alongside former Sky News presenter Isabel Webster and says he hopes to bring people a "brighter breakfast" in the morning.

He also revealed that since leaving ITV, he's had plenty of well wishes from colleagues. "Piers Morgan was the first to drop me a note and congratulate me, so did Susanna Reid, and I know Dan Walker on BBC Breakfast very well too, who has been in touch to say good luck," he said.

"Obviously I'm in the business of trying to steal their viewers, I guess that goes without saying, but they're all great people who I know and get on with well, so it will be good-spirited."

Eamonn's first slot on the new show was on Monday January 3 at 6am and it appears the early wake up call was a bit of a shock for the veteran broadcaster.

"Please reassure me I'm not the only person on my way to work at this hour?," he wrote on Twitter in the early hours of the morning. "Strength in numbers. Hope u r all coping."

Eamonn Holmes began presenting on This Morning in 2006 alongside his wife, Ruth Langsford, who became part of the channel's on-air team in 1999 and remains so today.

After Eamonn's exit from the show, ITV said in a statement, "We would like to wish Eamonn all of the very best in his new role. As a duo, Eamonn and Ruth have been part of the This Morning presenting team for the last 15 years and we thank Eamonn for all of his hard work and contribution to the show.

"Ruth remains an important part of ITV Daytime both as a continuing member of the This Morning family and as an anchor presenter on Loose Women."