Eamonn Holmes was reportedly booed and heckled as he accepted a gong for GB News at the Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) awards.
The GB News presenter, 65, appeared onstage in a wheelchair to accept the award in the news category on behalf of the show’s breakfast team at London’s Grosvenor House on Tuesday.
Members of the audience would be heard booing when GB News’ win was announced and one person even told the host to “get off” the stage, sources claimed.
“After it was announced that GB News Breakfast had won, there were a few boos around the room. Due to his wheelchair, Eamonn needed a ramp to get up on the stage,” an insider told MailOnline.
“He gave a moving speech about the work of colleague Charli Peters, who had earlier won News Presenter for his work on exposing grooming gangs in Britain.
“It was a nice moment seeing Eamonn pay tribute to a fellow news presenter, but it seemed someone in the audience didn't agree. They heckled for Eamonn to ‘get off,’ and it was an awkward end to his speech.”
During his speech, Holmes said: “For the thousands of people who voted, that is brilliant for us. So we say thank you, thank you, thank you, to anyone who did bother to vote.”
The Standard has contacted Holmes’ representative for comment.
The former This Morning presenter seemed unbothered by the apparent mixed reception to the win as he celebrated the victory on Instagram after the ceremony.
Sharing a photo of him and the rest of the GB News crew onstage, the broadcaster wrote: “Thanks to you we did it folks! Thank you for voting us better than the rest!!!”
He also re-posted a photo the speech on his Instagram Story with the caption: “Winner winner chicken dinner!!”
This is the second year in a row Holmes has accepted the award in the news category at the event.
The presenter uses a wheelchair after experiencing a series of serious health issues in recent years, including chronic back problems and nerve damage.
He underwent major spinal surgery in 2022 to address chronic pain caused by three slipped discs.
Holmes has also had a double hip replacement and suffered significant damage to his sciatic nerve, affecting movement in his right leg.
After suffering a fall recently at home, the presenter also fell on GB News, slipping off his chair during a live segment with a guest.
Discussing his deteriorating health on the show earlier this month, he said: “I would have been pro-exercise, but I can't move. I'm in a wheelchair now.
“I can't put on the right trainers, I can't change, I can't go to the showers, I can't do things… I can't stand up.”
