Entertainment

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on the secret to their 25-year relationship

The couple are back presenting ITV’s This Morning on Monday to Friday for the next seven weeks.
The couple are back presenting ITV’s This Morning on Monday to Friday for the next seven weeks. The couple are back presenting ITV’s This Morning on Monday to Friday for the next seven weeks.

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford have said the secret to their successful 25-year relationship is respect.

The couple and television presenting duo, both 61, have been together for 25 years and were married in 2010.

When asked what the secret was to achieving such “couple goals”, Langsford said: “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 I think working together as well, not many people work with their partner as well, so I think a lot of respect comes into it.”

0430 SHOWBIZ Holmes file
0430 SHOWBIZ Holmes file The couple have been together for 25 years (GMTV/PA)

She added: “I think 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…”

Holmes said: “I agree.

“There’s a huge amount of understanding and tolerance and a good dollop of humour that keeps you going.”

The couple hosted ITV’s This Morning show on Fridays from 2006 until January 2021, before Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary took over.

But the husband-and-wife duo are back presenting the morning programme Monday to Friday for the next seven weeks, and they said they were looking forward to spending time together as they both lead busy lives.

Langsford said: “We’ve hosted so many This Morning summers now and we always look forward to it.

“They are always a lot of fun the summer weeks, it has a slightly different vibe to it than the rest of the year.

“People are often tuning in on their own holidays so we look forward to hearing where people are and they send us messages about what they are doing for the summer.”

They have a 19-year-old son together, Jack Alexander Holmes, and Holmes has three children, Declan, Rebecca and Niall, from his previous marriage with Gabrielle Holmes.

Holmes has said he will be “really emotional” when he becomes a grandfather for the first time this summer when his eldest son Declan and his wife Jenny Gouk’s baby is due.

He said: “They will be a very loving mother and father, (and) as long as they know you’re there for them.

“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.”

This Morning’s Summer promo
This Morning’s Summer promo The couple will be back hosting This Morning  (Ken McKay/ITV/PA)

Talking about the importance of family after the restrictions of the last year, Langsford said: “I think it’s made us all realise the importance of your loved ones and family when you couldn’t see them.

“You know material things are all well and good but actually your family is so much more important.

“Both of our mums are elderly now and these are their twilight years and you just want to make them as special as you can, and see them as much as you can.”