Ruth Langsford once warned you don’t want to mess with Eamonn Holmes during an episode of Loose Women. On a special feature of the ITV show a few years ago, the panel took a deep dive into Ruth’s life before Loose.
One aspect included her romance with Eamonn, who she first got together with back in 1997 before they announced their split last month. Panellist Jane Moore questioned whether or not he reminds her of her father as Ruth confessed he did.
She replied: “Yeah he reminds me a lot of my dad. People often say you’re looking for your father. He’s dogmatic sometimes like my dad, that’s why I spar with him because I used to spar with my dad.
“But also, he’s very loving, very protective. Very cuddly, so he’s very like my dad. If he’s in your team, then he’s in your team, but don’t cross him, that would be my dad.”
Reflecting on the early days of their relationship, Janet Street-Porter wanted to know more about their first date. Laughing, Ruth confessed Eamonn picked her up on a street corner.
She said: “We had a friend in common and I was staying with her and we’d been invited to a party.
“I’d never met Eamonn and she said, ’Oh yeah, Eamonn is picking us up’.”
Ruth explained her friend told her to go outside and flag his car down on the corner of the street in Wimbledon as he didn’t know where she lived.
The presenter added: “He tells the story and he says, ‘Now where do you find a girl like that?’ and then he realised I was the friend, the rest is history.”
Tying the knot in 2010, the duo share one child together called Jack, who Ruth often speaks about on Loose Women.
Sadly, last month the pair announced they had decided to separate after being married for 14 years, with Ruth being said as “hurt” by the reaction to their split.
A source told The Mirror: “Ruth was hurt when she learned about Eamonn’s friendship with another woman but she is strong and she will be back soon with a smile on her face, putting her best foot forward, as she always does.
“She needs a bit of time to regroup after everything that’s gone on, which is understandable, but she plans to return to Loose Women, with renewed vigour, in July.”
Although Ruth has yet to speak about the news of their marriage breakdown publicly, Eamonn has briefly mentioned it. During an episode of GB News, he took a moment to thank people for their support while hosting alongside Isabel Webster.
He said: “Just before we move on we’d just like to thank people for your support for Ruth and I over the last few days as to the news of our separation. Your support for both of us is very much appreciated.”
Ruth is yet to return to Loose Women following the news of their split.
Loose Women continues weekdays on ITV from 12:30pm.