Over the years, Eamonn Holmes has been incredibly open about his crippling health conditions – gaining plenty of love and support from his now-estranged wife Ruth Langsford.
The broadcaster has suffered from long-term difficulties, previously telling of his battle with chronic back pain after a dislocated pelvis led to three slipped discs.
Eamonn had a double-hip replacement in 2016 and underwent spinal surgery in 2022 – but he has said the operation went wrong.
And in another blow to the GB News host in May, it was announced that he and Ruth were to part ways after 14 years of marriage.
One month later, Eamonn struggled onto an awards show stage with a walker, admitting he was ‘not ok’ and that he felt as though he was on ‘borrowed time’.
After Eamonn’s worrying health confession and shock divorce, MailOnline takes a look at his rocky few years.
Over the years, Eamonn Holmes has been incredibly open about his crippling health conditions – gaining plenty of love and support from his wife Ruth Langsford, both 64
However, his life is now entering a new phase following the news that he and Ruth have split up after fourteen years of marriage
He underwent spinal surgery in 2022 following years of chronic back pain and previously had a double-hip replacement in 2016
The split rumours comes shortly after Ruth shared her fears that Eamonn ‘will never be 100 per cent right’ – suggesting their new reality could be the reason their relationship began to plummet (pictured in 2023)
After it was announced the couple are ‘preparing a statement’ amid split speculation on Saturday, MailOnline takes a look at Eamonn’s multiple health woes
Double hip replacement (2016)
In 2016, Eamonn underwent a double-hip replacement operation lasting three-and-a-quarter hours after living with acute pain for many years
In 2016, Eamonn underwent a double-hip replacement operation lasting three-and-a-quarter hours after living with acute pain for many years.
Speaking about his operation at the time, Eamonn said: ‘Was I nervous? No! It was just like being on television. In the build-up I was stressed — can I do this? Will I handle it?
‘And it was a bit odd the night before when people started paying me tributes: “Eamonn, you were brilliant and I’ll always remember when you did this and that.” It was like dying but not dying.’
‘Not one nerve or palpitation. Exactly the way I am presenting a live programme — never a nerve in my body.’
‘I felt like I was in a movie. Or the hospital drama Casualty. It was like an out-of-body experience — am I going back into my body or am I out of my body now? I didn’t know.’
‘I saw a smiling surgeon [after the operation], my smiling wife and someone handing me a lunch menu — and I thought, I must be alive then!’
Shingles (2018)
Eamonn detailed his battle with shingles in 2018 and how he was struck with the virus on his son Declan’s wedding day
During an appearance on Loose Women in September 2021, he spoke about his health battle which left him unable to work on This Morning three years ago
Eamonn detailed his battle with shingles in 2018 and how he was struck with the virus on his son Declan’s wedding day.
During an appearance on Loose Women in September 2021, he spoke about his health battle which left him unable to work on This Morning three years ago.
He also shared images of his puffy face covered in marks and scabs during his battle.
Shingles is a viral rash caused by varicella zoster virus, the virus which causes chickenpox, being reactivated. In the UK, 90 per cent of adults have had chickenpox, so will have this virus lying dormant in their nervous systems.
As the picture of Eamonn’s face was shown on screen during his Loose Women appearance, the TV host said: ‘This is me with shingles looking like Quasimodo there and as you can see from that, it’s quite brutal.’
He continued: ‘You’ll say, ‘How on earth did you get that?’ Well, if you’ve had chickenpox and you’ve had the virus, it’s there in your system and there’s a very high chance – 60% chance or so – that you too will have shingles.’
Chronic back pain (2021)
His years of chronic back pain started in spring 2021 – which came completely out of nowhere
The pain become so severe that it left Eamonn reliant on a walking stick, but soon found out the root cause
He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg
His years of chronic back pain started in spring 2021 – which came completely out of nowhere.
The pain become so severe that it left Eamonn reliant on a walking stick, but soon found out the root cause.
He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg.
In December 2021, Eamonn told The Sun how his struggles with his ‘trapped sciatic nerve’ had an impact on his family who had to help him with everyday tasks.
He admitted: ‘It’s been a difficult year. For months now I haven’t been able to walk, sometimes at all, and it has really taken its toll on everyone around me too…
‘I can’t bend down to pick things up so Ruth ends up having to wait on me, and I know my sons particularly are a bit embarrassed by the way I move around.’
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Eamonn told how a scan first revealed the three protruding discs, explaining: ‘I still thought it would go away, but it didn’t. The knock-on effect was that I lost a lot of use in my right leg.
‘I got epidural injections, which helped to a degree, but didn’t cure the problem. I started using a stick, so life was already becoming more curtailed.’
‘The spine and all the nerves that lead off it affect so many other things, which he felt needed to be addressed first. I was crushed. I had been in severe pain for a year, and I desperately hoped this might be the answer.’
‘Life-changing’ spinal surgery (September 2022)
In September 2022, Eamonn was forced to step away from his GB news show as he underwent vital back surgery to aid his chronic back pain (pictured pushed by his son in February 2023)
Following his surgery, he revealed that despite physiotherapy, he continues to find his lack of mobility stops him from doing simple things and is forced to rely on others, which he described as ‘soul destroying’
In September 2022, Eamonn was forced to step away from his GB news show as he underwent vital back surgery to aid his chronic back pain.
His battle with chronic back pain started after a dislocated pelvis led to three slipped discs.
Following his surgery, he revealed that despite physiotherapy, he continues to find his lack of mobility stops him from doing simple things and is forced to rely on others, which he described as ‘soul destroying’.
He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Worked hard at my physio this morning, very tiring but I’ve now sat on my backside for 5 hours and feel bad about doing nothing.
‘Lack of mobility & depending on others stops me doing really simple things. For peace of mind I feel another round of foot exercises coming on.’
His spinal surgery left him with a weakened left leg, too, and just over two weeks into his recovery from the operation, Eamonn fell backwards down 18 stairs at the Weybridge home, hitting the stone floor at the bottom.
The horrific accident could easily have killed him. Instead, he emerged with a broken shoulder, and his legs further weakened.
Broken shoulder after operation (November 2022)
Eamonn endured a horrific accident which saw him fall down a set of stairs at his home in Surrey leading him to break his shoulder weeks after his huge spinal surgery (Pictured in November 2021)
The former This Morning host admitted at the time that fracturing his shoulder in a fall is a ‘massive setback’
Eamonn endured a horrific accident which saw him fall down a set of stairs at his home in Surrey leading him to break his shoulder weeks after his huge spinal surgery.
The former This Morning host admitted at the time that fracturing his shoulder in a fall is a ‘massive setback’.
Eamonn told GB News of fracturing his shoulder during the fall: ‘It was a massive setback and means I’m going to need to take some extra time off to get myself better.
‘It’s been a hellish few weeks. But day by day I’m improving and I am remaining positive and trying to look on the bright side.’
‘I can’t say a big enough thank you to everyone who has sent me lovely messages, they’ve really cheered me up and kept me going.’
Spine stretching procedure (2023)
A year after his spinal surgery, Eamonn underwent a spine and neck stretching procedure in September 2023 after admitting he ‘couldn’t walk’
Looking on the bright side: Eamonn had straps holding down his shoulders and one around his head, which he joked resembled a retro sweat band
A year after his spinal surgery, Eamonn underwent a spine and neck stretching procedure in September 2023 after admitting he ‘couldn’t walk’.
Eamonn admitted he ‘hadn’t recovered’ from his back surgery, confessing: ‘I can’t run, I can’t walk, I can’t do anything except watch TV and eat.’
He explained: ‘I just got problems last year in my back, which I haven’t recovered from. It’s not good, it’s not a good recipe I have to say.’
But looking on the bright side the broadcast poked fun at his appearance as he shared a snap tied to a spinal decompression table.
Spinal decompression tables use computerised technology to create negative intradiscal pressure in the spine.
Recovery (2024)
Now, Eamonn is focusing on his recovery following years of different health woes and operations
Ruth recently revealed she fears Eamonn ‘might never be 100 per cent right’
He has ongoing daily physio sessions and either uses a cane or wheelchair to get about, with the support of his wife Ruth
Now, Eamonn is focusing on his recovery following years of different health woes and operations.
Ruth recently revealed she fears Eamonn ‘might never be 100 per cent right’.
He is having daily physio sessions and either uses a cane or wheelchair to get about, with the support of his wife Ruth.
The Loose Women presenter said she ‘lives in hope’ that his mobility will improve.
Speaking to Woman’s Weekly, Ruth said: ‘I don’t know how much Eamonn’s mobility will improve. We live in hope.
‘He does the physio, but there might have to be some acceptance that this might never be 100% right. With any care situation – and there are millions of carers in this country – it isn’t always easy. It’s testing but we manage as a family.’
Ruth added: ‘I look at Eamonn, who’s had his health and back problems, and it makes you realise how important your health is.’
Relapse (2024)
Eamonn struggled onto the stage with the aid of a walker at the TRIC Awards as he accepted an award in June.
In his first public appearance since news of his shock divorce, the TV presenter admitted he is on ‘borrowed time’ as he confessed: ‘I’m not OK. This is not a good time at all’.
And Eamonn appeared to take a swipe at his estranged wife as he picked up an award for best breakfast show.
Accepting the gong, the GB News presenter inferred that he had been stabbed in the back, as he told the audience: ‘So I got two things in my back that I didn’t want,’ seemingly referring to both his operation and Ruth.
Eamonn makes his way on stage at an awards show at London’s Grovesnor House hotel
He said: ‘I think sometimes we [GB News presenters] all have imposter syndrome, why is, that sort of thing.
‘I went for an operation a year and a half ago and it went wrong. So I got two things in my back that I didn’t want, so why not, I’ll happily accept this.’
The star also admitted he feels as though he is on ‘borrowed time’ because his father died at 65 of a fatal heart attack.
Eamonn was seen arriving at the awards in a wheelchair as he suffers from chronic back pain and is undergoing painful physio sessions.
