THIS week Eamonn Holmes and his new girlfriend have been publicly ripped apart by critics unimpressed with their coupling.

One critic wrote, ‘Ruth has shown so much dignity. Eammon (sic) is disrespectful, flaunting his floozy!’

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Eamonn and Katie have been seen enjoying a romantic break while ex wife Ruth remains in the UK

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TV golden couple Ruth and Eamonn announced their split in May after 14 years of marriageCredit: PA Media
Another slammed, ‘Your ex staying hush, elegant and classy whilst ur being pushed around Ibiza by your carer gf’.

For some, going on a flashy holiday, so soon after the breakdown of his marriage and in the wake of his wife Ruth Langsford discovering messages between him and another woman, was cruel.

Especially as his new partner Katie Alexander, a 42-year-old relationship counsellor, is thought to be the same woman who was exchanging messages with Eamonn, 64.

Here, Dear Deidre Agony Aunt, Sally Land looks at how to best navigate such choppy waters as the ‘other woman’.

Ruth and Eamonn’s relationship timeline

Before the shock split announcement, Ruth and Eamonn seemed like one of the strongest couples on UK TV – even with their signature bickering style.

Here’s how their romance played out…

1997 – The couple first meet after being introduced by mutual friends, two years after Eamonn splits from his first wife, Gabrielle, with whom he has three children.

1997-2002 – To be respectful to Gabrielle, the couple kept their relationship out of the limelight. Ruth told Daily Mail: “I thought it spoke volumes about the sort of man he was, the sort of father he was and the integrity he had. It made me love him more, not less.”

2002 – Ruth and Eamonn welcome their son, Jack, to the family.

2005 – Eamonn finalises his divorce with Gabrielle.

2006 – The pair begin to host Friday episodes of This Morning together.

2010 – Eamonn proposes to Ruth while at the Cheltenham Races, after asking Ruth’s mother for her hand.

June 2010 – Eamonn and Ruth marry at Elvetham Hall, Hampshire.

2016 – Eamonn undergoes a double hip replacement in the first of many health battles.

June 2019 – On This Morning, Ruth and Eamonn say the secret to their happy marriage. Eamonn credits “compromise, consideration and lots of conjugal,” while Ruth said it was “laughter and an equal marriage”.

November 2020 – Ruth and Eamonn are replaced on their regular Friday slot by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary in a ‘show shake-up’.

December 2021 – After a year of being moved to the bank holiday presenting slot, both Eamonn and Ruth left This Morning.

January 2022 – Eamonn debuted on GB News, while Ruth stayed with ITV in her long-standing role on Loose Women.

September 2022 – Eamonn undergoes spinal surgery after years of back issues including a trapped sciatic nerve.

November 2022 – Eamonn falls down the stairs of his Surrey home with Ruth and breaks his shoulder, requiring a new operation.

September 2023 – Eamonn has a spine and neck stretching procedure as part of his year-long recovery.

May 2024 – Ruth and Eamonn announce they have split after 14 years of marriage and a 27-year relationship.

September 2024 – Eamonn was spotted on a luxury holiday in Barcelona with his new girlfriend Katie Alexander. Ruth calls in a ‘fierce’ divorce lawyer.

SALLY SAYS: It’s always nerve wracking starting a new relationship and meeting your other half’s friends and family, but when your partner is going through a break up, then the reality is the temperature will be turned right up.

Whether you are in the public eye or not, you can expect every move you make to be scrutinised and analysed.

It’s a sensitive time while your new partner is cutting ties with their previous partner and it pays to be mindful and considerate of their pre-existing relationships – even if you are not a party to them.

And when children are involved there is another layer of complexity to consider.

While you may feel delighted to have your partner all to yourself, the practical reality all too often means they will need to invest time keeping a good relationship with their ex and showing their children they still want to be involved in their lives.

For many a new partner accepting this balance can be a real challenge and some women quickly start to see the ex and any children as a threat.

Eamonn Holmes seen at Heathrow airport with new flame Katie Alexander as they head off on a romantic Mediterranean cruise holiday.
It’s important to accept that any new partner who already has children, will always have them in their life.

Any fresh relationship will fare far better by regarding children as part of the deal, rather than the enemy.

And for any one getting together with a significantly older partner, the inevitable questions around motivation will come quick and fast.

Snide accusations commonplace, but for those women coping with such insults, the best answer is to prove your true character slowly over time.

Don’t push to meet reluctant family members or friends, and be prepared for introductions to take a long time.

Proving your love interest is genuine will take a sensitive and patient approach and only then will your partner’s loved ones be more likely to accept you in time.

After all, the path of true love never did run smoothly.

If something is playing on your mind, you can write to my team of trained counsellors for free at [email protected]