Eamonn: ‘Ruth Didn't Want To Work With Me – But It's Been Fun!'

As the legendary daytime TV show celebrates its 30th year on our screens, we chat to hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford about their favourite highlights

- Hannah Wright

We’re in Eamonn Holmes’ dressing room, backstage at This Morning. “It’s freezing in here!” exclaims Ruth Langsford, his wife and co-presenter on the show, which this week celebrates 30 years on air. Eamonn cracks open a Diet Coke, and the fun pair are ready to reminisce about their time on ITV’s flagship daytime programme.

Amusingly, the duo have somewhat different recollections of how their telly partnership came about.

Says Ruth, 58, “I always dreamt of presenting This Morning. I was fascinated by Richard and Judy [Madeley and Finnigan, who fronted the programme from 1988 until 2001], and I absolutely loved the show. When I was approached to work on it, I was thrilled to pieces. And then Eamonn got involved too, and that was like the cherry on the cake for me.”

“Oh, you’re such a fibber!” retorts Eamonn. “What actually happened was someone had the brilliant idea of putting us together as a husband and wife [presenting team], and Ruth went, ‘That’s not a good idea – I don’t want to work with you!’ Anyway, she gave in, and we’ve regretted it ever since! But it’s been great fun.”