Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford have broken their silence after it was confirmed that they will no longer host This Morning on Fridays.
As exclusively revealed by The Mirror, the couple will now only host the show during the holidays and will be replaced by Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary on Fridays.
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield will continue to present the ITV programme from Monday to Thursday, with breaks during school holidays, which will still be hosted by Ruth and Eamonn.
Alison and Dermot will host This Morning on Fridays from 8th January 2021, but it's not yet known when Ruth and Eamonn's last Friday show will be.
Eamonn broke his silence on the news on Twitter.
He posted: "It's a changing of the guard on Fridays from January.
"We hope you make Alison and Dermot as welcome as you've made us over the years. Have a Ball you two!
"It's not Goodbye from us, it's simply Au Revoir until the next half term."
Ruth also shared the same post to her Twitter account.
Alison and Dermot did not mention Ruth and Eamonn when the news was confirmed.
Alison said in a statement: "I never dreamt that when I first joined This Morning - initially for a few months - that I would still be there 19 years later.
"I genuinely care about the show and the viewers who watch, so it's a huge privilege and honour to be hosting a show I adore so much.
"I'm just really excited to be doing even more of what I love alongside the lovely Dermot."
Dermot said: "I'm deeply thrilled and honoured to be joining the This Morning team next year.
"We have huge shoes to fill and we are well aware what a privilege it is to be stepping into them.
"Above all, we want to have fun and for you to be able to kick your weekend off with a smile, especially given the year we've all had.
"So I'm delighted to be co-hosting with the living embodiment of sunshine on a rainy day. I can't wait to get started."
A statement from the managing director of ITV Daytime, Emma Gormley, did not say why Ruth and Eamonn have been replaced.
She said: "We are delighted that Alison and Dermot will be joining the main presenting family on This Morning.
"Alison has provided some of the most memorable moments on the show in recent times and teamed up with the brilliant Dermot we think they are a great pairing in addition to our fabulous presenting line up of Phillip and Holly and Eamonn & Ruth."
Earlier this month we revealed how Ruth and Eamonn had lost their Friday This Morning slot.
On the decision to hire Alison and Dermot, an insider said: "They have real warmth. It's time for a change and they are perfect.
"Eamonn is pretty furious and everyone feels for him and Ruth, they are well liked on the team, but sometimes tough decisions have to be made."
Ruth and Eamonn have been together for two decades and married in 2010.
They have been hosting This Morning together since 2000.
The couple are reportedly "not afraid to start a TV war" over the decision.
Ruth and Eamonn feel "angry" that they are no longer hosting the much-loved show on Fridays and plan to front a rival show on a different channel if they are handed their notice.
A TV insider told Heat: "They are now planning their own TV talk show to rival This Morning, hopefully on the BBC or Channel 4.
"They've had lots of offers from TV companies who are keen to snap them up, and neither of them are afraid to start a TV war, just like Richard and Judy did when they went to Channel 4.
"Still, they're really angry with how they have been treated."
