Eamonn Holmes is to leave his post as This Morning presenter of 15 years to take up a job at GB News.
Holmes made the decision to join the news channel which was set up last year, following claims he caused friction with ITV bosses over comments he made suggesting conspiracy theories linking coronavirus to 5G phone masts.
He was given a warning by Ofcom the day after suggesting such claims should be given a platform to listen to, and was forced to issue a clarification immediately.
Just a few months later, Eamonn and his co-hosting wife Ruth Langsford, both 61, were given the boot from their Friday slot of This Morning.
Fresh duo Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary took up the role with little explanation given about the former’s departure.
Now it looks as though Eamonn is poised to become a big-name signing for GB News, where it’s anticipated he will front his own show several times a week.
One source said: “Eamonn’s move to GB News marks the end of an era. He’ll be missed by many ITV viewers but, the truth is, this job offer probably came at just the right moment for both him and ITV. All good things come to an end.”
His decision to join the little-watched station will have a knock-on effect for Ruth, with whom he fronts This Morning in school holidays, according to Mirror Online.
Ruth is a huge favourite with viewers and sources claim she is unlikely to remain on the show without him but is expected to continue as a regular on Loose Women.
GB News, funded by investors including Discovery to the tune of £60million, launched in June with a brief to “champion balanced debate”.
It was initially beset by technical difficulties and has since suffered several big departures – including that of chairman and main presenter Andrew Neil, who left saying stress had brought him “close to a breakdown”.
Its current presenters include former BBC journalist Simon McCoy, ex-Sky host Kirsty Gallacher, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and ITN’s Alastair Stewart, who left ITV News last year.
When it launched, Eamonn said he hoped it would get a “decent chance”: “We need a shake-up on the news front. I have huge respect for TV news but this is a reminder news is not just Westminster or a constant woke agenda.”
It led to one critic calling him a “relic”.
Eamonn is expected to start on GB News next year.
