Christmas isn’t quite the season to be jolly for This Morning presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
The husband and wife team will be spending the festive season apart this year.
And the reason why they won’t be pulling their crackers with each other is actually heartbreaking.
Why are This Morning presenters Ruth and Eamonn spending Christmas apart?
Both Ruth and Eamonn‘s parents are elderly and, with Ruth’s mum in Surrey and Eamonn’s mum in Belfast, they can’t visit them both on the big day.
But the stars, who have been married for 25 years, have insisted that it’s not a problem.
Read more: This Morning fans rejoice as Eamonn Holmes makes surprise return to the show
Speaking to Woman and Home, Eamonn explained that having a sea between them at Christmas is a normal thing.
He said: “We have this issue now, in that we’ve got a sea dividing us. We often have a dilemma of whether I go to Belfast, whether Ruth comes with me.
“But Ruth wants to be with her mum. My mother is 93 this year. It’s easier for us often to be apart.”
Ruth added: “Being apart for Christmas has never been a problem. I wouldn’t be going to Belfast this year, because I need to be with my mum. It’s about family for me.”
Of course, she and Eamonn are facing another ‘split’ too, as Eamonn has reportedly parted ways with This Morning after 15 years to host GB News – so they will no longer be hosting together.
Indeed it looks as though Ruth’s time on the flagship ITV morning show is also up.
Emotional reunion for Ruth and her mum
It’s understandable that Ruth wants to spend Christmas with her elderly mum Joan.
She was in tears back in March when they were finally reunited after tough COVID restrictions were lifted.
The strict rules had meant the TV favourite hadn’t been able to visit her mum in her care home.
Ruth spoke about the heartbreaking moment when she held her mum’s hand for the first time in months on Loose Women.
She revealed to her fellow panelists that she and her mum “had a little cry” when they were finally allowed to touch each other.
Read more: Coleen Nolan hits out at Ruth Langsford’s This Morning demotion
Back in September, Ruth, 61, revealed that Joan had suffered a fall and was now walking with the aid of a frame.
In a clip revealed on Instagram , Joan is seen sitting on the sofa while Ruth’s excited dog Maggie sits on her and wags her tail.
View this post on Instagram
Ruth captioned the post: “Sadly no Mum for Sunday lunch today… she’s had a fall.
“Nothing broken thank goodness but quite battered & bruised poor love.
“She needs a walking frame to get around at the moment and is still in some pain but typical Mum…stoic and cheerful as ever.
“Maggie giving her some healing love.”
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