Eamonn Holmes' two marriages 'destroyed by same thing' as Ruth's ultimatum resurfaces

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford left their fans heartbroken when they announced their split.

However, there were indications of issues long before their shocking announcement. An insider close to the couple disclosed that their 27-year relationship fell apart as work commitments led them "in different directions".

Ruth, aged 64, reportedly struggled to get over her husband's outspoken tirades against their previous employer, ITV, following their dismissal from This Morning. Eamonn, also 64, has since found his new television home at GB News.

He recently addressed the marital split live on his breakfast show. The presenter, born in Belfast, expressed gratitude to his fans for their support and cryptically mentioned "what a weekend it was".

The couple's longstanding reign over daytime TV was thrown into chaos when they were abruptly removed from their This Morning roles in 2021. Ruth decided to remain loyal to their former employer, continuing as part of the Loose Women team, while Eamonn launched a series of harsh criticisms at his old bosses after transitioning to GB News.

The public outrage reportedly left Ruth feeling "embarrassed" as the pair handled the career change in contrasting ways. Eamonn accused ITV executives of being "never kind" to him and fumed: "They tossed me out of the door and didn't care where I was going."

Friends close to the couple have revealed to the Daily Mail that professional differences played a significant role in their separation. One of Ruth's friends reportedly shared with the outlet, "The whole thing was pretty embarrassing for her. The fall out with ITV bosses proved hugely awkward for Ruth who remained an employee with her role on Loose Women and other shows. It left her feeling very angry and of course, prompted fears that his outbursts could damage her career."

Eamonn has faced similar issues in the past, as his work life also stirred trouble with his first wife before they parted ways. Despite the presenter describing the split as "amicable", he encountered some tough realisations during his marriage to Gabrielle, with whom he shares three children.

In his 2008 autobiography, "This Is My Life: The Autobiography", Eamonn acknowledged that his career was a key reason for their divorce. He admitted that while he was fine with being away for work, Gabrielle was not.

Reflecting on this, he wrote, "That was the first time I realised there wasn't that emotional support there for me, though I probably had suspected it."

Eamonn shared: "By that stage 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. But it gave my wife a life of her own, with her children, and come weekends I was intruding on it, y'know."

Challenging times lie ahead for Ruth and Eamonn as they traverse through their divorce. It's reported that Eamonn is "furious" about the split and has been "struggling" to accept the separation behind closed doors.

It comes as Ruth had previously issued an ultimatum to Eamonn prior to the former couple tying the knot. The iconic presenting duo first locked eyes in 1997 after being introduced by their mutual pal and fellow TV professional, Sally Meen.

At the time of their first meeting, Belfast-born presenter Eamonn was already a father of three, having welcomed children Declan, Rebecca and Niall during his marriage to Gabrielle.

Ruth, who didn't yet have any children of her own, wanted to start a family and wanted to make sure she and Eamonn was on the same page before they pursued a romance.

Speaking with the Mail Online back in 2012, Ruth shared: "I was falling in love with him but if he'd said he didn't want any more children I'd have said, 'It's been lovely knowing you but let's stop this now'. So I asked him, 'Look, I know you have three children, but would you consider having more, because that's what I want?' He did.

"Of course, there were no guarantees it would happen. We were together for a long time and I did start to wonder if I'd ever get pregnant. But I was very lucky that it happened naturally and I had a nice birth and a healthy baby."

Ruth and Eamonn welcomed their son Jack in 2006 and they married four years later.