Ruth Langsford has congratulated her ‘darling’ husband Eamonn Holmes after it was revealed he is set to be lauded with an OBE.
The Strictly Come Dancing star, who married the Belfast-born broadcaster in 2010, tweeted a selection of photos from Eamonn’s television history after he was named in the New Year Honours 2018.
Moments after the full list was unveiled on Friday, she posted: ‘SO proud of my husband @EamonnHolmes All his years of broadcasting rewarded with an OBE!!! Congratulations darling x.’
Proud: Ruth Langsford has congratulated her ‘darling’ husband Eamonn Holmes after it was revealed he is set to be lauded with an OBE
Eamonn said Ruth was even more delighted than him as he was named in the New Year Honours. The television stalwart and journalist from Belfast, is receiving an OBE for services to broadcasting.
Minutes before the list was officially made public, Eamonn teased his followers: ‘Making the news instead of reading it tonight from 10.30 pm. Hope u r Happy for me. £Happynewyear.’
The star of GMTV and Sky News’ Sunrise, as well as ITV’s This Morning, is celebrating 38 years in television. He told the Press Association he had been keeping the secret for three weeks.
He said: ‘Ruth was even more thrilled than I was. I think she just thought it was very well deserved.’
Proud wife: The Strictly Come Dancing star, who married the Belfast-born broadcaster in 2010, tweeted a selection of photos from Eamonn’s television history after he was named in the New Year Honours 2018
Happy days! Eamonn, 58, received a special message from his son, Declan, who posted: ‘Well done Dad’. The TV stalwart will pick up the honour for services to broadcasting following a 38-year career in the industry
Eamonn, 58, received a special message from his son, Declan, who posted: ‘Well done Dad’. He has become best known for his roles on breakfast programmes, including GMTV and Sky News’ Sunrise, as well as ITV’s This Morning.
His other credits include Channel 5 programme How The Other Half Lives, which he also presented with alongside Langsford, and a presenting role on the BBC’s Songs Of Praise. However, the TV star said there will be no celebrating until the investiture.
He said: ‘No celebrating until you make sure it’s going to happen! The big dilemma is who to bring. My daughter is a big royalist, she loves everything to do with the royal family so she’s booked her place.
Honoured: He said: “No celebrating until you make sure it’s going to happen! The big dilemma is who to bring. My daughter is a big royalist, she loves everything to do with the royal family so she’s booked her place
Stand aside! ‘Ruth would stand aside to allow our 15-year-old son (to go), he would be very proud. We have that dilemma so three tickets would be perfect’
‘Ruth would stand aside to allow our 15-year-old son (to go), he would be very proud. We have that dilemma so three tickets would be perfect.’
Eamonn, who began his career at 19 at Ulster Television in Belfast, became the youngest anchor of a TV news programme when he presented Good Evening Ulster at the age of 21.
He said: ‘I learned off Gloria Hunniford in Belfast and she has an OBE. It’s quite strange to take over the programme and now have the same recognition.’
Eamonn moved to the BBC in 1986, but it was his move to ITV in the early 1990s that cemented his place as a titan of breakfast TV. He made his name as a newscaster presenting GMTV from 1993 until 2005, and was dubbed the king of breakfast television.
For more than a decade Eamonn anchored the flagship morning programme as well as juggling game show roles, regularly hosting The National Lottery Jet Set and Sudo-Q on the BBC.
Hosting: Since 2006, Eamonn has had a weekly Friday morning slot on This Morning with Langsford, whom he married in 2010
Since 2006, Eamonn has had a weekly Friday morning slot on This Morning with Ruth. Following his GMTV stint, Eamonn moved to Sky where he presented Sky News’ Sunrise for 11 years until 2016.
He said: ‘It’s recognition of a body of work. There would be very few broadcasters that have the body of work that I have had.
‘To be on TV at 19 and host a general election at 23, it’s unparalleled and unprecedented without anybody giving you a hand up. I did it on my own merits and worked very hard. The secret is reinvention.’
His other credits include Channel 5 programme How The Other Half Lives, which he presented with Ruth, a presenting role on the BBC’s Songs Of Praise, and he occasionally pops up as a guest presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Eamonn said he sees the accolade as “something to push on from”, adding: “It’s lovely to have someone in authority say, ‘You know what, you do this quite well’.”