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Entertainment
Kate Plummer and Liam O'Dell

Eamonn Holmes joins GB News after quitting This Morning – here’s how people are reacting

Eamonn Holmes

(Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Veteran broadcaster Eamonn Holmes is quitting This Morning after 15 years to join GB News.

In November it was reported that the broadcaster quit after he and his wife Ruth Langsford were removed from their regular Friday time slot on This Morning.

Yesterday it was announced that he will start his new position at the controversial channel at the beginning of next year, where he will present a new breakfast programme with former Sunrise co-host Isabel Webster.

Commenting on the move, Holmes said GB News is “one of the most exciting” start-ups yet, adding that it is “just the kind of shake-up the industry needs”.

“I’ve admired GB News from the beginning for its clever mix of punchy debate but delivered with warmth and even some fun.

“To me the greatest honour in journalism is to give a voice and respect to the unheard, and that’s exactly what GB News is all about,” he said.

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In a statement, an ITV spokeswoman said Langsford “remains an important part” of the channel’s daytime offering - “both as a member of the This Morning family and as an anchor presenter on Loose Women”.

“We would like to wish Eamonn all of the very best in his new role.

“As a duo, Eamonn and Ruth have been part of the This Morning presenting team for the last 15 years and we thank Eamonn for all of his hard work and contribution to the show,” they added.

Elsewhere, a source told the The Mirror that Holmes’s move to the channel “marks the end of an era”.

“He’ll be missed by many ITV viewers but, the truth is, this job offer probably came at just the right moment for both him and ITV.

“All good things come to an end,” they said.

Holmes has attracted controversy in recent years.

He left people aghast when he said TV Doctor Zoe Williams’ hair resembled an alpaca’s – though he later apologised – and he also peddled conspiracy theories about coronavirus being linked to 5G from the outset of the pandemic, leading to Ofcom complaints and a hasty clarification.

Reacting to the news, some people said it was a good fit because of his past controversial comments, with GB News known for being somewhat... open to a range of opinions.

Yet others thought it would damage his career:

He did get some support from fans of GB News, however, including from some of their own presenters:

Holmes’s presenting career began on GMTV in 1993 where he stayed until 2005. He then joined Sky News Sunrise until 2016.

Aside from This Morning, Holmes and Langsford have also hosted their own show in recent years, How The Other Half Lives.

How Holmes gets on at GB News remains to be seen.

His departure from ITV isn’t the only TV move announced this week, with a GB News spokesperson confirming that former BBC presenter Simon McCoy was leaving the station due to “personal reasons”.

indy100 has contacted Holmes, ITV and GB News for comment.

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