Loose Women star Ruth Langsford has been dragged into the alleged ITV cover up row after her husband Eamonn Holmes sensationally claimed they were both 'lied to' as Phillip Schofield went public with his affair.
On Friday night, Phillip released an extraordinary statement outing his romance with a 'younger male ITV colleague', which he admitted hiding from his wife Stephanie Lowe and his daytime TV bosses.
The mea culpa came amid days of confusion and chaos over Phillip's abrupt exit from This Morning after nearly 20 years at the helm.
Joining the stunned reaction to the sudden turn of events was Phillip's former co-star Eamonn Holmes.
Eamonn has been outspoken in his criticism of Schofield since he was mercilessly axed from This Morning in 2022.
Giving his take on the latest twist last night, a furious Eamonn told fans that he and wife Ruth had been 'lied to' and 'made to look like fools' as Phillip finally came clean.
"Ruth and I have been deceived and lied to. One day I will tell the story," vowed Eamonn.
"We had no issue with him being Gay, only support. What transpired took us for fools . The man told us complete lies and we unfortunately believed him," he added.
The husband and wife duo had publicly supported Phil when he came out as gay in February 2020.
However, since Eamonn and Ruth were axed from their Friday post on This Morning, Eamonn has not held back in his apparent dislike of his former co-star while Ruth has chosen to keep silent as she remains at the station keeping up her commitments with ITV by hosting Loose Women.
Before Eamonn and Ruth's This Morning departure there had been rumours of a rift between the couple and Phil.
Tension started brewing back in 2019 when Ruth was said to have made a complaint about Phillip's on set behaviour.
Ruth looked visibly shocked when she was cut-off from speaking by Phil live on air as she informed viewers what was coming up next on Loose Women.
"Well I only had about two more words to say," an unimpressed Ruth uttered.
Sticking up for his wife at the time, Eamonn said: "Phillip is renowned for snubbing people. He’s very passive-aggressive. It’s up to Ruth to say how she felt, but I was feeling hurt for her. No one would have snubbed me like that.”
The bubbling tension between the trio surged again in 2020 in full view of the cameras as the National Television Awards.
When Eamonn attempted to take the daytime trophy from Phil's hands the lead host seemingly refused to give up the statuette.
Following their past tensions, Eamonn was quick to call out his former colleague last week when his This Morning departure was announced.
Interupting his GB News colleage who was reporting on the story, Eamonn said: "Oh please just stop this. He was sacked.
"All this nonsense of 'I've decided to step down'. I'm sure you did - here's your P45, now step down," he suggested.
Eamonn then took aim at Holly Willoughby, who gave a brief goodbye to Phil on social media after years of friendship.
“And she says: 'Oh, the couch will not be the same without him being there'. Well she wanted him not there.
"So what is she moaning about? They deserve each other I suppose"
