Shambolic on-set behaviour, toxic fallouts with co-stars, and the regret about Ruth that he just can’t shake: KATIE HIND reveals how Eamonn Holmes is ‘unravelling’ and plunging GB News into crisis – so is his super glam sidekick ready to twist the knife?

Every war has a winner and a loser. And this week, in the increasingly acrimonious divorce between Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, it was very clear which was which.

Because Ruth was seen contented and relaxed sipping chilled wine on the French Riviera as she celebrated her 66th birthday with friends.

The Loose Women star enjoyed a lavish lunch in Cannes before stepping out into the night in a sparkling black dress.

In social media posts documenting the happy celebrations, friends like actress Emily Atack and Amanda Holden sent her birthday greetings and couldn’t stop complimenting Ruth’s radiant look.

What a contrast to her estranged husband Eamonn, who is going through perhaps the most humiliating period of his career; which resulted in him dedicating more time to the GB News breakfast TV programme.

His body had shrunk so much that Eamonn appeared to fall asleep live on TV last Wednesday; This was definitely a first for a television presenter.

And during the same show, the normally collected Eamonn was almost incoherent as he tried to question former cabinet minister Robert Jenrick in an interview, much to the politician’s apparent surprise.

A spokesperson for Eamonn said he was on annual leave, while sources at GB News told me he had been told to take time off. What’s more, bosses are currently holding crisis meetings to decide how to deal with the increasingly difficult ‘Eamonn problem’, as it is now known within the network.

During the same show, the normally collected Eamonn was almost incoherent as he tried to question former cabinet minister Robert Jenrick in an interview.

Because not only are his on-screen performances becoming more worrying – he recently fell out of his chair while cameras were rolling – behind the scenes, his struggles to maintain the energy levels and performance required to be a presenter on live television have been said to be causing ‘carnage’.

One employee went so far as to tell me that his job was now hanging by a thread. Has Eamonn’s long TV career finally been put to rest?

Those close to the situation describe it to me as ‘sad and embarrassing’. There is a degree of sympathy among some for the 66-year-old man, whose severe back pain is now so pronounced that his daily life is dependent on a wheelchair and a team of caregivers.

However, Eamonn remains as formidable and stubborn a character as ever; perhaps even more so since his marriage to Ruth ended.

It is this attrition, combined with their deteriorating performance, that has sparked so much anger among his colleagues.

Indeed, GB News bosses are facing increasing pressure from colleagues frustrated by the failures of their flagship presenters.

Live TV is a fiercely competitive arena; If you don’t cut the mustard, the exit will normally come calling quickly. So it’s little surprise that colleagues say Eamonn ‘got away with murder’ and lives on his past glories.

I was told: ‘At the top of the tree they think it has passed the Tesco test; If he walked into any supermarket in Britain he would be instantly recognized by customers.

Eamonn with his girlfriend Katie Alexander, who is 22 years his junior

‘And yes, there is value in this. They would put him in his chair and make him stand forever, but the truth is the problems are getting bigger with each passing week.

‘He may have a profile, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to work together.

‘While most of the other male presenters feel they could do a more professional job, the women who work with him feel they support him. By the way, he gets the biggest salary.’

Perhaps the person most unhappy with Eamonn’s performance is his presenter, stunning 32-year-old Ellie Costello. Sources on the channel describe him as ‘borderline’ regarding his partnerships.

She replaced Isabel Webster, who previously co-hosted Sky News’ Sunrise with Eamonn, and then went to GB News.

Isabel and Eamonn were once close friends, but she left her role as his assistant in 2024 after their relationship soured.

When the vacancy arose, Ellie jumped at the chance to take over. Those who know him say that sometimes he wishes he hadn’t done this.

‘He’s reached the end of his connection,’ says a source. ‘Ellie is a trooper but working with Eamonn is no easy task. Just look at all the women he’s been paired with over the years; often resulting in nasty squabbles and fights. She had a massive falling out with Anthea Turner when they shared a sofa during the GMTV years and when Fiona Phillips was her co-host it certainly wasn’t always easy because she could be so condescending.

Eamonn has become a difficult character to deal with since his 14-year marriage to Ruth Langsford ended in 2024.

As for ‘Ruth’, they split after sharing a sofa for This Morning and then there was also a huge falling out between Eamonn and Isabel.

“As Ellie has now discovered, she seems to be struggling with her co-stars. But now she’s worse than ever because she’s unwell and tired. Ellie is having a nightmare.”

I’m told GB News bosses are aware of Ellie’s difficulties and are keen not to lose her.

Eamonn’s job isn’t easy in his defence. Being on air at 6am means he gets up at 4am.

Perhaps that’s why he was rumored to be looking tired behind the scenes last week; When his colleagues asked how he felt, they received an angry response from him. And that’s not the only outburst that occurred.

‘This is being resolved,’ says one person at GB News. ‘He’s trying to move on but it’s causing a lot of deterioration behind the scenes. ‘It looks like his once illustrious television career is now slowly coming to an end.’

However, the solution is not immediately obvious; especially since Eamonn wasn’t the type of man to go gently into that good night.

One source says: ‘Those at the top think Eamonn won’t go quietly – after all, he needs the money. He is also on contract and it is not easy to dismiss someone due to health problems.’

Eamonn spoke openly about his physical challenges and how he needed the help of a physiotherapist every morning before work to prevent his spine from stiffening.

In addition, his dependence on his wheelchair and strong doses of medication increases.

He also has a long-running financial headache after losing a battle with HMRC over a huge unpaid tax bill, which has apparently delayed the finalization of his divorce from Ruth. Reportedly, he still owes around £250,000 despite having paid more than £1 million.

In addition to suffering financially, friends say she felt emotional strain after the breakup.

‘He finds it very painful that Ruth has fun while confined to a wheelchair. But we can say that this is entirely his doing. After all, he was the one who developed the friendship that made Katie and Ruth so upset.’

Katie Alexander, of course, is his much younger new girlfriend; his 44-year-old girlfriend, with whom he was seen at a cooking competition while off work this week.

When asked about his recent career plans, he said: ‘I don’t know. Society’s age expert. I’m sick, I’m in a wheelchair, and it’s been a terrible thing to deal with for two years.

‘I understand my job… but I also understand that it’s hard for people to deal with you.’

Eamonn is thought to return to the breakfast screens in the coming weeks, while bosses hope he will refresh and rejuvenate in his time off.

But it looks like there’s one person who won’t be so keen to see him back: his stylish sidekick Ellie.