Television presenter Ruth Langsford has spoken candidly about undergoing therapy to help her process the emotional fallout from her highly public separation from husband Eamonn Holmes.
The End of a 27-Year Relationship
The Loose Women star revealed that the breakdown of their long-standing romance, which spanned nearly three decades, required significant emotional 'unravelling' during her counselling sessions. The couple's separation became public knowledge in June last year when Holmes moved out of their family home in Weybridge, marking the official end of their 14-year marriage.
While Holmes quickly moved on to date relationship counsellor Katie Alexander, who is 22 years his junior, Langsford has taken a different approach to healing. In a heartfelt interview with Woman & Home magazine, the 64-year-old presenter shared her therapeutic journey.
The Power of Professional Support
'I started counselling when Eamonn and I separated, and I'm still having it,' Langsford disclosed. 'It is very powerful and very useful. It gives me tools to deal with things.'
She described the counselling process as particularly valuable because her therapist maintains complete objectivity. 'My counsellor has probably seen us on TV, but she doesn't know either of us so doesn't get involved and doesn't judge,' Langsford explained. 'She just listens and says, "Have you thought about this?" or "Why did you feel like that?"'
The television personality contrasted this experience with her previous resistance to therapy after her sister's death, acknowledging that 'the end of a very long relationship takes a lot of unravelling' in a way that requires professional support.
Behind the Split and Financial Fallout
The announcement of their separation sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, especially given their 15-year tenure as co-hosts on ITV's This Morning before being axed in 2021. Sources close to Langsford suggest that caring for Holmes following his 2022 back operation, which left him dependent on a walking frame or wheelchair, had taken its toll on their relationship.
Complicating matters further, it later emerged that Holmes had met Alexander several years before the marriage ended, though there's no suggestion of infidelity. The former couple have yet to officially divorce and are currently engaged in financial disputes, including the potential sale of their marital home.
Holmes has separately faced financial challenges, having paid over £1 million to HMRC with another £250,000 outstanding from a dispute about his employment status during his This Morning presenting years between 2011 and 2015.
Finding Light After Darkness
Despite the initial turmoil, Langsford now expresses optimism about her future. 'I definitely see light in the future where I didn't before,' she revealed. 'Before, I saw darkness and was thinking, "Oh my God, what's going to happen?" but now the fear has gone.'
Displaying remarkable resilience, she added: 'What do you do? Do you crumble? Do you lay down and die? Oh no, not I. I will survive.'
While not actively seeking a new relationship, Langsford hasn't ruled out future romance or even marriage. 'Never say never,' she stated. 'I haven't been put off having a relationship. I haven't even been put off marriage, but I'm definitely not actively looking.'
The presenter has discovered strength in independence, concluding: 'I've realised I'm actually quite good on my own. I am independent and quite strong. It has taken me a bit of time to realise that and I don't know what lies ahead, but that chapter now feels quite exciting. It's not as scary as I thought.'
