TV presenter Ruth Langsford has been widely praised for her quiet dignity as she watches her ex-husband Eamonn Holmes date a much younger woman.
But when an opportunity for some mischievous payback came up, friends say the Loose Women star just couldn’t resist.
After all, Ms Langsford, 64, has had to endure pictures of Mr Holmes’ new girlfriend Katie Alexander – 22 years his junior – arriving at his new bachelor pad in Kingston, South West London.
So when wheelchair-bound Mr Holmes, also 64, asked his wife of 14 years – and partner of 26 – if he could return to their £3.5 million marital home in Weybridge, Surrey, to pick up some holiday clothes to go on a freebie cruise with Ms Alexander, Ms Langsford spotted her chance.
She cheekily removed the £2,000 stairlift that was installed at the house to help Mr Holmes, who suffers from a debilitating back condition, get up the curved staircase to his old bedroom.
Ms Langsford made herself scarce for the visit but knew that when he arrived he would struggle to get up the stairs to get what he needed for the seven-night trip around Europe.
Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford has cheekily removed the £2,000 stairlift installed at their house so that Eamonn Holmes, who suffers from a debilitating back condition, couldn’t get up the curved staircase to his old bedroom to get his clothes
One said: ‘Ruth has remained quiet and classy. Even when people bring up what Eamonn has been up to, she stays silent and just smiles. She thinks that is the best way. She has had a lot of support from her friends.
‘But one thing she would see every day was the stairlift which Eamonn installed. Ruth doesn’t need it. She’s super-fit and healthy but she knew Eamonn probably would struggle when he had to go the house to get some bits he needed for the holiday. The bedrooms are upstairs and he needed to get to them.
‘It might seem petty but Ruth’s friends think it is absolutely hilarious as they think he has really taken her for a ride. You can imagine how furious Eamonn was. He was probably expecting to be able to use the stairlift to get his stuff and quickly get out again and pack for his holiday.
‘It has been humiliating for her to see Eamonn and Katie together – and that was before the cringe photos while they were on holiday. She must be thrilled that she did it after seeing those photos.’
Mr Holmes, 64, has been on holiday in Ibiza, Spain, with his new, much younger girlfriend Katie Alexander, 42
Mr Holmes installed the stairlift in January 2023 to help him get to bed as he struggled with chronic back pain from slipped discs and a dislocated pelvis. He had had surgery four months earlier but still needed help around the house.
Soon afterward family friend and TV presenter Rylan Clark visited the now estranged couple’s home. He posted a video of himself going up the stairs on it.
Following Ms Langsford’s revenge, Mr Holmes and Ms Alexander were pictured in Barcelona where they boarded a Virgin cruise ship, The Scarlet Lady, to tour the Mediterranean. They were seen stopping off at Ibiza.
Soon after the device was installed last year, family friend and TV presenter Rylan Clark visited the now estranged couple’s home and posted a video of himself going up the stairs on it
The Mail revealed the luxury break was a free holiday as part of his deal with firm Not Just Travel. In return, he filmed video content for its social media platforms.
Mr Holmes and Ms Alexander first exchanged messages on Twitter, now X, in 2015. It’s not clear when the friendship began to develop, but reports suggest that Ms Langsford discovered that, in the year running up to their split, Mr Holmes had been showering Ms Alexander with gifts.
Ms Langsford hasn’t addressed the end of her marriage on Loose Women. A friend says: ‘Ruth is just getting on with it. It’s a case of actions speak louder than words.’
Ms Langsford declined to comment but sources close to her confirmed that she has dismantled the stairlift.