Eamonn Holmes



Eamonn Holmes (born 3 December 1959) is a multi award-winning Northern Irish journalist and broadcaster, best known for presenting Sky News and This Morning.

Eamonn currently presents Sky News Sunrise from Monday-Thursday with Charlotte Hawkins and This Morning with his wife Ruth Langsford on Fridays and during school holidays. Holmes was a main presenter for the ITV Breakfast programme GMTV for twelve years between 1993 and 2005. He has also presented BBC One game shows such as Jet Set and SUDO-Q.

Eamonn is also heavily involved in a number of charities. He is patron of charities Kids for Kids and Dogs Trust.

Education
Holmes was educated at Holy Family Primary School in Belfast and St Malachy's College, a Roman Catholic grammar school for boys, on the Antrim Road in Belfast. He then studied journalism at the Belfast College of Business Studies, in the same city.

Ulster Television
Holmes worked for a Belfast-based business magazine before going into broadcasting.

In 1979 he joined Ulster Television, part of the major ITV Network. Here Holmes hosted and reported on the station's Farming Ulster programme. Afterwards he became a sports reporter alongside Jackie Fullerton and Leslie Dawes. In 1981 Holmes succeeded Gloria Hunniford as anchor on the top-rated flagship news magazine Good Evening Ulster.

In addition to his news and current affairs role, Holmes also hosted other Ulster Television productions, including Miss Northern Ireland gala specials in 1985 and 1986. He finally departed from the Ulster Television stable in 1986 to join BBC Manchester.

BBC
In 1986 Holmes moved on to UK network presenting the daytime programme Open Air on BBC One from Manchester. Holmes also presented the BBC National Lottery game show Jet Set between 2001 and 2007. Eamonn presented SUDO-Q, a BBC quiz show which aired for 4 series between December 2005 and March 2007. He guest presented the BBC One comedy show Have I Got News For You on 20 May 2010.

Eamonn occasionally presents the BBC One series Songs of Praise, usually episodes filmed on the island of Ireland

GMTV
Holmes started working at GMTV in 1993, hosting the first show on Friday 1 January 1993 alongside Anne Davies. He had a falling-out with his later co-host Anthea Turner however reunited they were on BBC NI show entitled the Friday Show in 2009 where they got on better. Alongside Fiona Phillips for 8 and a half years Holmes made GMTV the most watched morning show until his departure. He left GMTV in April 2005 stating the show had run out of real news and was now celebrity obsessed.

One infamous interview occurred when American illusionist David Blaine appeared on the show on 29 August 2001. Holmes cites this interview with Blaine as the most awkward moment of his professional career and one of TV's bloopers when he refused to speak and gave him the "evil eye".

While Holmes was presenting GMTV former Doctor Who actor Tom Baker referred in a short interview with the Metro to: "Eamonn Holmes with his terrible 'I'm eating shit' grin ...I couldn't possibly go on, I would be sick in his lap".

Holmes made his final appearance on GMTV in April 2005.

Sky News
Holmes joined Sky News in October 2005 to present the new-look Sunrise programme. He initially hosted alongside Lorna Dunkley between October 2005 and January 2007, but now co-presents the show from Monday-Thursday alongside Charlotte Hawkins.

This Morning
In 2006, Holmes began presenting ITV daytime programme This Morning on Friday mornings. He currently works on the show, co-presenting This Morning with his wife Ruth Langsford every Friday and over the school holidays.

Northern Ireland broadcast
To mark the conclusion of the analogue era in Northern Ireland, the last region in the UK to officially experience the switch over to digital technology, Holmes hosted a first-time joint UTV and BBC Northern Ireland venture.

The programme, The Magic Box, celebrated 60 years of television broadcasting in Northern Ireland featuring memorable archive footage of broadcasters, news reporters and events. The one-hour live simulcast occurred on Tuesday 23 October 2012 from the BBC’s Blackstaff House studio in the heart of Belfast.

Personalities from the UTV and BBC Northern Ireland stables were out in force for the special nostalgic event. The show also featured a tribute to deceased broadcasters, which included the well-regarded Brian Baird (1929–1998), Holmes' co-presenter and friend on the Good Evening Ulster programme.

Speaking as he closed the show, Holmes thanked viewers for watching and said: "Here's to the next 60 years."

Sports presenting
Holmes has presented coverage of snooker, horse racing and darts on television and was the main presenter of the BBC's coverage of the World Darts Championship in 1991 and 1992. He was also the presenter of ITV's coverage of the Phil Taylor vs. Raymond van Barneveld showdown at the Wembley Conference Centre in 1999. From 2000–2001 he presented OnDigital's coverage of the UEFA Champions League alongside Jim Rosenthal, and hosted The Sports Show on ITV in 1999 and 2000.

Filmography
Eamonn's guest appearances have included:
 * 8 Out of 10 Cats (17 June 2005, 14 July 2006) - Panellist
 * Davina (8 March 2006) - Guest
 * Would I Lie to You? (30 June 2007, 8 August 2008) - Panellist
 * Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (6 October 2007, 22 February 2014) - Guest
 * All Star Family Fortunes (3 November 2007) - Contestant, won £5,000 for The Bubble Foundation, playing against Holly Willoughby and her family.
 * Celebrity Juice (29 October 2008, 26 April 2012, 25 April, 7 November 2013) - Panellist
 * All Star Mr & Mrs (16 May 2009) - Contestant, playing with Ruth Langsford, won £20,000 for Alzheimer's Society
 * James Corden's World Cup Live (15 June 2010) - Guest
 * Odd One In (24 July 2010, 25 June 2011) - Panellist on the "away" team in the both series alongside Ruth Langsford
 * Magic Numbers (7 August 2010) - Guest, with Ruth Langsford
 * The Alan Titchmarsh Show (27 October 2010, 15 March 2013) - Guest
 * A League of Their Own (11 November 2010) - Panellist
 * Pointless Celebrities (7 July 2011) - Contestant, alongside Charlotte Hawkins
 * Wall of Fame (22 July 2011) - Panellist
 * Loose Women (4 October 2011, 10 June 2013) - Guest
 * Comedy Lab (2 September 2011) - Guest
 * The Chase: Celebrity Special (3 December 2011) - Contestant, was caught by the "chaser", winning £0.
 * Sunday Brunch (22 July 2012) - Guest
 * Mad, Mad World (4 August 2012) - Panellist
 * Let's Do Lunch with Gino & Mel (16 August 2012) - Guest, alongside Ruth Langsford
 * Monumental (25 January 2013) - Guest
 * The Matt Lucas Awards (12 March 2013) - Guest
 * You Saw them Here First (31 July 2013) - Contributor
 * Tipping Point: Lucky Stars (4 August 2013) - Contestant, won £3,100 for Dogs Trust
 * I Love My Country (24 August 2013) - Panellist on Frank Skinner's team
 * Through the Keyhole (31 August 2013) - Panellist
 * Celebrity Fifteen to One (20 September 2013) - Contestant, came fourth place
 * Never Mind the Buzzcocks (28 October 2013) - Guest Host
 * Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side (24 January 2014) - Panellist
 * Sam & Mark's Big Friday Wind-Up (21 February 2014) - Guest

Holmes has appeared four times on the long-running game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. Eamonn played alongside Alex Ferguson and won £32,000 for charity. On 1 September 2007, he played alongside Kay Burley and won £150,000 for charity. On 20 May 2012, Eamonn alongside Ruth Langsford won £12,500 for charity CLIC Sargent. On 19 December 2013, to celebrate the end of Millionaire on ITV, Eamonn re-appeared on the show alongside Alex Ferguson and won £25,000 for The Manchester United Foundation.

Radio
Holmes presented The Eamonn Holmes Show on Radio 5 Live on Saturday mornings between 9 and 11 am for 6 years. The last edition of this programme was aired on 30 May 2009 as Holmes' contract with the BBC was not renewed.

He also took over Michael Parkinson's Sunday morning show on Radio 2 for a few weeks in 2008 and hosted his own programme on London radio station Magic 105.4.

Holmes’ first foray into radio broadcasting was at Northern Ireland’s Downtown Radio in the mid-1980s.

Newspaper journalism
Holmes writes a column for The People newspaper.

Eamonn Holmes' autobiography was released in May 2006. The autobiography is called This is MY Life, a reference to another famous Irish Eamonn – Eamonn Andrews, after whom he was named. It reveals some of what occurred behind the scenes during his tenure at GMTV, particularly regarding his stormy relationship with Anthea Turner.

Awards and Honours
In 2006, Holmes was awarded an honorary degree by Queen's University Belfast. He has also received an honorary degree from the University of Staffordshire.

Manchester United
Holmes is a fan of Manchester United. In December 2005, he opened the eulogies at the funeral of football legend George Best. He also introduced Ole Gunnar Solskjær at his testimonial against R.C.D. Espanyol.

Charity
Holmes is a patron of Kids for Kids which helps villages in Darfur, Sudan. He is also a patron of Dogs Trust.

Personal life
Eamonn Holmes married his long term partner Ruth Langsford at Elvetham Hall in Hampshire on 26 June 2010. The couple sold exclusive rights to report on the wedding ceremony and the reception to Hello! magazine in a deal that saw the publication feature the event over two issues, in July 2010. The couple have a son called Jack Alexander (b. 2002); Holmes has three children – Declan (b. 1989), Rebecca (b. 1991) and Niall (b. 1993) – from his first marriage.

Eamonn is one of five boys. He has an older brother called Leonard, and three younger brothers called Brian, Colm and Conor.

Holmes lives in a six-bedroom mansion in Weybridge, Surrey with Langsford and their son Jack. The couple put their house on the market but were forced to slash the price by 7% after it was rumored they wanted to move to London.

Controversies
Eamonn Holmes was accused of being opposed to LGBT parenting when he told two gay interviewees in a year 2000 GMTV episode that "You are not meant to have children. You are going against nature!"

While presenting This Morning in October 2011, Holmes described singer Jonathan Wilkes as a "retard" on air. He later apologised after complaints and calls for him to be sacked. Holmes said "I have to say sorry to three or four of you who are upset because I used the word retarded. You seem to have taken it personally or think I am being insulting. I would never want to do that. There is this man who has an autistic child and said I insulted his child. I would never use it in that context. Sorry if that caused you offence" The other presenters laughed.

Also in October 2011, Holmes provoked criticism by suggesting that a rape victim should take taxis in future, leading to accusations of victim blaming.

In November 2009, the impressionist Jon Culshaw appeared as Holmes on The Impressions Show in a series of three comedy sketches in which he was portrayed as having an appetite so uncontrollable that he eats a sofa, flowers and even a guest (Frankie Dettori), using the catchphrase 'I was fierce hungry, so I was'. Even though Holmes had interviewed Culshaw and his co-star Debra Stephenson on This Morning to promote the show, after the programme aired the presenter instructed his lawyers to send a letter of complaint to the BBC. The letter resulted in an apology from the BBC along with a withdrawal of any future comedy sketches featuring Holmes. Both the complaint itself and the outcome of Holmes's legal action drew generally unfavourable criticism from media observers and online commentators.