COVER STORY Ruth and Eamonn: ‘Doing This Morning is the only time we see each other!’
Eamonn and Ruth on marriage, squabbles and their TV return
Eamonn Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford are back on our screens, livening up our weekdays on This Morning throughout July and August while Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are on their summer break. The married couple, who used to present the show on Friday mornings until Alison Hammond and Dermot O’leary took over their slot in January, have been together for 25 years and have 19-year-old son Jack together. Eamonn also has sons Declan, 32, and 28-year-old Niall, and 30-year-old daughter Rebecca with ex-wife Gabrielle. Ruth and
Eamonn, both 61, talk to us about childhood memories, reprising their
This Morning roles and how respect is the key to their marriage…
Are you looking forward to working together again and for five days a week?
Eamonn: It’s the only time we really get to see each other properly, so yes! We both have very busy lives, so it’s actually quite an unusual thing to spend so much time together. Ruth: We’ve hosted so many This Morning summers now, and we always look forward to it. The summer weeks are always a lot of fun, and they have a slightly different vibe to the rest of the year. We’ve been doing this since Jack was really little.
What are your fondest summer memories?
Eamonn: I have really happy memories. There were always a lot of adventures and playing outside. My dad was very good at entertaining us, and during the holidays, we would go travelling in the back of his carpet fitter van. The one thing I really miss living in Surrey now is the smell of the sea, so definitely the seaside and candy floss – simple things I loved. We used to buy bags of seaweed called “dulse” as a treat.
Ruth: We did a lot of camping when we were kids before Dad upgraded to a camper van. We went to lots of places, and we lived abroad a lot as my family were in the army, but we would visit my grandparents in Newquay quite often. I always remember the long trek down to the beach, but halfway down there were trampolines, and my grandma used to pay for us to have a go on them and get an ice cream afterwards.
You’re definitely “couple goals”, having recently celebrated 25 years together and 11 of those married. What’s your secret?
Ruth: We always laugh at the term “couple goals” – it’s such a modern expression! But 25 years is a long time to be together, and working together, as well – not many people work with their partner, so I think a lot of respect comes into it. I believe you have to respect each other as people, and we respect each other as broadcasters. And as much as
people sometimes say, “Oh, they argue,” I would say, “No, we don’t, we have differences of opinion.” And I think that’s healthy. People will always see that we laugh a lot, too.
Eamonn: I agree. There’s a huge amount of understanding and tolerance and a good dollop of humour that keeps you going.
Eamonn, you’re about to become a grandad, as your eldest son Declan prepares to welcome his first child. How excited are you? Eamonn:
It’s so strange to think that my wee baby will be having a baby and that Declan is going to be a dad. It’ll be really emotional. You can only wish for health and happiness, and it’s a lovely landmark in the family and for me to be a grandfather for the first time. They haven’t asked for any parenting tips. I think every generation who has kids knows better than the previous one. Ruth: I think that’s how it should be. Unless they ask, keep quiet, because when you look at baby books of what the advice would have been when our parents had us, every generation is different, and the advice would be completely different now. So, keep quiet and they’ll ask if they need help.
Ruth, you enjoy cooking healthily and you’ve recently taken up running – is this for a positive mental attitude? Ruth:
I use the word running very loosely as I kind of lumber along! I’m not really a runner, I’m more of a power walker with the dog, but it was Gok Wan and Alice Beer who got me into doing the Couch to 5K running plan. I do find it very, very hard. I never want to get out and do it, but once I do, the mental lift that it gives you is amazing, and then I’m very proud of myself and slightly smug. I try to do a bit of healthy eating, a bit of exercise, and moderate in all things, but I also love to eat, have a gin, and slob on the sofa, so it’s just finding a good balance. I’m definitely not thinking about doing a marathon anytime soon, but I have had a lot of encouragement along the way, so we’ll see where it takes me.
Eamonn: Whereas I’m currently doing Couch to 5m! I’m doing OK following my recent health setbacks, with two discs dislocated, which led to balance and stability problems in my right leg. But I’m getting lots of treatment and doing lots of exercises and hydrotherapy, and I’m making good progress.
‘You have to respect each other’