Eamonn Holmes, 64, admits he ‘can no longer walk or look after myself’ amid his new relationship with Katie Alexander, 42… as estranged wife Ruth Langsford removes stairlift from home

After surgery on his back in 2022 for a slipped disc, the GB News host, 64, has not been able to walk unaided and often relies on a wheelchair.

Eamonn took to Instagram on Tuesday alongside S Club 7’s Jo O’Meara, who got in touch with him after hearing about his spinal troubles two years ago as she had suffered the same crippling pain.

The former This Morning presenter emotionally revealed he can no longer look after himself – amid his new relationship with Katie Alexander, 42.

It comes after the Mail reported this week his estranged wife Ruth Langsford, 64, has removed the stairlift from their £3.5million Surrey home. The couple announced their split earlier this year after 14 years of marriage.

Eamonn Holmes has revealed he 'can no longer walk or look after himself' in a frank new video
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Eamonn Holmes has revealed he ‘can no longer walk or look after himself’ in a frank new video

The former This Morning presenter emotionally revealed he can no longer look after himself - amid his new relationship with Katie Alexander, 42 (pictured earlier this month)
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The former This Morning presenter emotionally revealed he can no longer look after himself – amid his new relationship with Katie Alexander, 42 (pictured earlier this month)

His estranged wife Ruth Langsford , 64, meanwhile has removed the stairlift from their £3.5million Surrey home (pictured together 2022)
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His estranged wife Ruth Langsford , 64, meanwhile has removed the stairlift from their £3.5million Surrey home (pictured together 2022)

Ruth installed the stairlift in January 2023 to help him get to bed as he struggled with chronic back pain from slipped discs and a dislocated pelvis. He had had surgery four months earlier but still needed help around the house.

Soon afterward family friend and TV presenter Rylan Clark visited the now estranged couple’s home. He posted a video of himself going up the stairs on it.

In the emotional video, Eamonn admitted his former days of independence have come to an end as he pleaded his followers to adopt a dog as he petted Bella.

Eamonn, who used to share a rescue dog, Maggie, with his ex-wife Ruth, also revealed that losing his ability to walk also had an impact.

He captioned the clip: ‘Think about giving Bella a home. If I could walk and look after myself she would be mine but instead you could be me.

‘Talk to @TheK9Angels . Absolutely lovely Doggie.’

His honest admission was met with support from his followers as his fans flocked to his comment box.

One penned: ‘Oh she is lovely. Hopefully you will get stronger and be able to get another dog. Cheryl’

‘I hope you will be able to walk/ look after yourself soon and give one of these dogs a happy home once again. Sending you positive vibes Eamonn’

‘Oh she is lovely. Hopefully you will get stronger and be able to get another dog.’

Ruth installed the stairlift in January 2023 to help him get to bed, with her previously sharing a video of Rylan giving it a go
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Ruth installed the stairlift in January 2023 to help him get to bed, with her previously sharing a video of Rylan giving it a go

Eamonn took to Instagram on Tuesday alongside S Club 7's Jo O'Meara, who got in touch with him after hearing about his spinal troubles two years ago as she had suffered the same
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Eamonn took to Instagram on Tuesday alongside S Club 7’s Jo O’Meara, who got in touch with him after hearing about his spinal troubles two years ago as she had suffered the same

It comes after he revealed his 'latest exploit' to aid his mobility amid his crippling health battle
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It comes after he revealed his ‘latest exploit’ to aid his mobility amid his crippling health battleIt comes after he revealed his ‘latest exploit’ to aid his mobility amid his crippling health battle.He posted a video of himself using an Alter G anti-gravity treadmill, which helps his ‘legs and body move like it did before’ his injury.The presenter is still on the road to recovery from surgery and an injury to his shoulder, which saw him takes four months off work at the end of last year.

Eamonn captioned his post: ‘Trying to remember what it felt like to have legs that worked.’

As he filmed himself on the machine, he said: ‘Hello there. This is my latest exploit. This is what’s called an anti-gravity treadmill. It’s an Alter G anti-gravity treadmill.

‘And the reason it’s called anti-gravity is you’ll see down here… I’m being supported by quite a big balloon.

‘And the balloon holds my weight. What it does really, the machine, if I now walk or run in this, and it helps my legs and my body remember what it was like to move like this before things went wrong, that have been wrong for a long time.

‘So this gives me a certain amount of freedom and the idea is that I build up muscle memory and y’know things will happen, hopefully in the future.

‘For the moment, I’ll do half an hour on this. Cheers!’

The Alter G treadmill inflates from the waist down giving you a weightless feeling as you walk or run with as little as 20% of your bodyweight, making it a lot more comfortable to exercise.

Eamonn uses a wheelchair due to chronic back pain as well as undergoing painful physio sessions.

Speaking in January he said the ‘harsh reality’ could be that he may never be able to walk unaided again.

In 2016, Eamonn underwent a double-hip replacement operation lasting three-and-a-quarter hours after living with acute pain for many years.

Speaking about his operation at the time, Eamonn said: ‘ Was I nervous? No! It was just like being on television. In the build-up I was stressed — can I do this? Will I handle it?’

Two years later, Eamonn detailed his battle with shingles and how he was struck with the virus on his son Declan’s wedding day.

During an appearance on Loose Women in September 2021, he spoke about his health battle which left him unable to work on This Morning three years ago.

He also shared images of his puffy face covered in marks and scabs during his battle.

Shingles is a viral rash caused by varicella zoster virus, the virus which causes chickenpox, being reactivated. In the UK, 90 per cent of adults have had chickenpox, so will have this virus lying dormant in their nervous systems.


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Eamonn recently shared a photo of himself dressed smartly and stood of his own volition leaning against a door frame as his rehabilitation continues

Eamonn recently shared a photo of himself dressed smartly and stood of his own volition leaning against a door frame as his rehabilitation continues

He underwent spinal surgery in 2022 following years of chronic back pain and previously had a double-hip replacement in 2016
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He underwent spinal surgery in 2022 following years of chronic back pain and previously had a double-hip replacement in 2016

He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg
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He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg

His years of chronic back pain started in spring 2021 – which came completely out of nowhere.

The pain become so severe that it left Eamonn reliant on a walking stick, but soon found out the root cause.

He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg.

In September 2022, Eamonn was forced to step away from his GB news show as he underwent vital back surgery to aid his chronic back pain.

Following his surgery, he revealed that despite physiotherapy, he continues to find his lack of mobility stops him from doing simple things and is forced to rely on others, which he described as ‘soul destroying’.

His spinal surgery left him with a weakened left leg, too, and just over two weeks into his recovery from the operation, Eamonn fell backwards down 18 stairs at the Surreyhome, hitting the stone floor at the bottom.

The horrific accident could easily have killed him. Instead, he emerged with a broken shoulder, and his legs further weakened.

The former This Morning host admitted at the time that fracturing his shoulder in a fall is a ‘massive setback’.

The presenter and Ruth announced their plans to divorce last month after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together
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The presenter and Ruth announced their plans to divorce last month after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together

A year after his spinal surgery, Eamonn underwent a spine and neck stretching procedure in September 2023 after admitting he ‘couldn’t walk’.

Eamonn admitted he ‘hadn’t recovered’ from his back surgery, confessing: ‘I can’t run, I can’t walk, I can’t do anything except watch TV and eat.’

He explained: ‘I just got problems last year in my back, which I haven’t recovered from. It’s not good, it’s not a good recipe I have to say.’