Eamonn Holmes, 64, attends first showbiz event with new girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43, but skips red carpet after split from wife Ruth Langsford

Eamonn Holmes attended his first showbiz event with new girlfriend Katie Alexander on Thursday, but avoided the red carpet.

The TV star, 64, has been dating counsellor Katie Alexander, 43, since his split from Ruth Langsford and has been open about his new partner.

And they made their first appearance as a couple at The Irish Post Awards, but the former GMB presenter requested that photographers not take pictures of them together at the bash.

A source told the publication: ‘While Eamonn waited for the ceremony to begin, he enjoyed his dinner in the company of his new girlfriend Katie. The pair seemed relaxed and were inseparable.’

The event held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London was also attended by presenter Laura Whitmore and Irish dancer Michael Flatley.

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Eamonn Holmes attended his first showbiz event with new girlfriend Katie Alexander on Thursday, but avoided the red carpet (pictured with Laura Whitmore at the event)

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The TV star, 64, has been dating counsellor Katie Alexander, 43, since his split from Ruth Langsford and has been open about his new partner (Katie is pictured back right, with TV star Laura Hamilton pictured back left)

Eamonn and Loose Women star Ruth, also 64, announced their plans to divorce in June after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together.

Now, Katie, who enjoyed a romantic cruise with the TV star earlier this year, has told friends she is in for ‘the long haul’ with Eamonn.

She has been helping Eamonn through the split from Ruth, but her friends say she is at pains to point out that their friendship has only grown close once the marriage was over in May.

Eamonn proved he was very much enjoying his new romance after the pair jetted off for a luxury holiday together over the summer.

The GB News presenter was seen cheekily grabbing his new lover Katie’s bottom in Ibiza last month

The getaway reportedly left Eamonn’s estranged wife Ruth shocked, with the holiday occurring just four months after the former golden couple announced they were divorcing.

The Northern Irish presenter has been open about his new relationship with the pair pictured enjoying two holidays together over the summer.

In May it emerged Eamonn and Ruth had split after 14 years of marriage and would divorce . Cracks had started to appear in their relationship and they had not been photographed together for two years.

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View galleryThey made their first appearance as a couple at The Irish Post Awards, but a ccording to The Mirror, the former GMB presenter requested that photographers not take pictures of them together at the bash

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View galleryA source told the publication: ‘While Eamonn waited for the ceremony to begin, he enjoyed his dinner in the company of his new girlfriend Katie. The pair seemed relaxed and were inseparable’ (pictured with Lisa McHugh)

Eamonn and Loose Women star Ruth, also 64, announced their plans to divorce in June after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together

And it has now been revealed that Eamonn and his new girlfriend first messaged each other 12 years ago.

The pair first exchanged flirty messages on social media in 2012 according The Sun.

The TV host and and relationship therapist were both married at the time and the messages initially included her then husband George.

Back in 2012, Katie’s former partner joked that he believed his wife was ‘flirting’ with Eamonn, but with both men sharing a love for Manchester United, quipped: ‘Good job we’re both Red.’

Reports then emerged she’d been left ‘devastated’ when she discovered ‘messages from another woman’ on his laptop.

A source has now told the The Sun: ‘We knew Eamonn and Katie got together via social media, but no one knew how far back they went.

‘Ruth will be shocked they were in contact 12 years ago. I don’t think she would have known.’

‘Eamonn gets a buzz out of replying to messages from fans. He and Katie had a real connection, and it blossomed into something more.’

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Katie, who enjoyed a romantic cruise with the TV star earlier this year , has told friends she is in for ‘the long haul’ with Eamonn

It comes after Ruth spoke candidly about heartbreak amid her divorce with Woman & Home in which she revealed heartbreak was her biggest fear, but not for her, instead fearing her son Jack, 22, would have his heart broken.

When asked what she ‘wants most in life’, Ruth confessed: ‘Happiness. Happiness for my son, Jack.

‘When you have children, you look at them starting out in life and just want everything to be good for them, for them to be happy and to not have their hearts broken. You can’t guarantee any of that, but that’s what I want most for Jack.’

Ruth shares Jack with Eamonn and she is also stepmother to his children Declan, 35, Rebecca, 32, and Niall, 30, from his first marriage to ex-wife Gabrielle.