Eamonn Holmes has recounted the moment when he had to issue caution to his eldest son Declan.

While on GB News Breakfast, the TV presenter debated Kirstie Allsopp letting her teen son go interrailing. The segment went into serious territory when actress Debbie Arnold mentioned the sorrowful case of Jay Slater. Eamonn chimed in with his own personal experience.

He said: “I remember, my eldest lad wanted to go off on holiday.” Eamonn, who recently split from Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford, elaborated on how Declan, at 18 years of age, was keen on alcohol shots and frivolity, prompting a stern fatherly intervention. The former This Morning host vividly recalled the conversation where he warned Declan against the lethal risks of overindulgence.

“I took him aside and I said, ‘Son, this could kill you doing this’,” shared the TV veteran. Now at 35, Declan is Eamonn’s firstborn from his marriage to Gabrielle. He lives in Belfast with Jenny, his spouse, alongside their little ones, Emilia and Isabella, reports OK!. Aside from Declan, Eamonn has two more children, Rebecca and Niall with Gabriella, and Jack with Ruth.

Despite his children being all grown up, Eamonn admitted to still being a cautious parent during a chat with co-host Ellie Costello about the Kirstie Allsopp situation. He confessed: “I’m quite a cautious parent. I don’t like school trips, for instance. What is the point?,” he questioned.

Eamonn recalled being strict with his son Declan

Declan is Eamonn’s eldest child with ex wife Gabrielle ( 
Image:
Press Association)
He added: “I’ve had to send my kids off to do white water rafting and canoeing and blooming rivers around the country. And I think, what is the point? Why do they need to know [that]. It’s not fun capsizing in a canoe with your friends in the great outdoors. I get nervous. I think, ‘no, not, not for me’. There’s lots of things. I would ban,” he confessed. “School trips – I just think no!”

In May, Eamonn and his wife Ruth Langsford, who have been married for 14 years, announced their split with a joint statement, revealing that they were ‘in the process’ of divorcing. A spokesperson confirmed to The Sun that their marriage has come to an end. The statement read: “Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have confirmed their marriage is over and they are in the process of divorcing.”

While neither Ruth nor Eamonn have disclosed the reasons behind their separation, it’s known that Eamonn has been dealing with health issues in recent years, including chronic back pain. Ruth is said to have found messages between her husband and another woman on a laptop.

She was reportedly left “hurt” after finding out Eamonn is being consoled by Katie Alexander, 42, after the relationship counsellor struck up a friendship with the veteran broadcaster over the past couple of years. Katie’s ex husband has since come forward to offer his sympathy for Ruth. Speaking to The Sun, he admitted he was “heartbroken” when his own marriage came to an end, adding it took him years to “recover”.

Things have now reportedly started to fester between Ruth and Eamonn, as she is ’embarrassed’ following false reports of an engagement between her ex and his new girlfriend. Katie was papped wearing a diamond ring on her wedding finger, but sources later confirmed the claims to be untrue. Ruth was still said to have been upset by the situation, with a source claiming “there have been tears”.