THE mum and dad of daytime telly have called it quits – and it feels like my own parents are divorcing.
That might sound mad, but having grown up with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford as TV’s power couple their split felt personal.
Despite a seemingly picture-perfect relationship for 27 years, they’re in the process of divorce after “living separate lives” – and now I can’t help but worry.
What happens to the dog, Maggie? is just one of the many questions I’ve pondered over this week.
Will Eamonn return to Northern Ireland? How is their son Jack taken the news? What changed between them? Was there someone else?
But above all, hearing Eamonn and Ruth are another celebrity couple to the dust feels like a bitter blow to the reality of everlasting love.
For decades, the former couple have entertained as a dynamic duo on This Morning – often being compared to the legendary Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
They made money off their likeability as a pair – hosting series like Eamonn & Ruth: How the Other Half Lives and Eamonn & Ruth’s 7 Year Itch – with appearances on CelebrityGogglebox.
When you hear “Eamonn” you expect to hear “…and Ruth” follow in quick succession.
They have been a staple of British television and a “mum and dad” to the nation.
However, as TV’s golden couple who have spent years talking about their relationship on-screen – the silence about their split is deafening.
It’s left many fans speculating about the reason behind their sudden separation.
Even Katie Price has waded in, saying on her podcast “no one knows the truth” about what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage.
But their relaxed and intimate chemistry made fans believe they knew them personally.
The dynamics of their relationship – funnyman Eamonn often being told off by his eye-rolling wife – made us believe we were in on the joke.
Viewers were stunned by their shock axe from This Morning in 2021 – ending a 15-year rein on ITV’s daytime show.
While the couple were replaced by Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, Eamonn went on to become the new breakfast host on GB News while Ruth continued presenting Loose Women and QVC.
Friends claimed their marriage rapidly deteriorated after their This Morning departure and have been living separate lives for two years.
After The Sun on Sunday revealed their split with a short statement from the ex-couple, Ruth returned to social media – without addressing her major life event.
Instead, she posted about a dog walk with Maggie and time spent with her 92-year-old mum.
Meanwhile Eamonn thanked fans for their “support” while on GB News in an incredibly brief statement.
However, they have both remained totally silent about the reason behind the separation.
It feels like our parents are getting a divorce
Amanda Devlin
Ruth has discussed divorce as a panellist countless times on Loose Women – often when the latest celebrity has announced their split.
And in recent years Eamonn has been unapologetically honest about his views on the world.
However, there has been radio silence over their impending divorce, which has felt like a bolt out of the blue without an explanation.
Not only does it seem unfair to loyal fans to be left reeling without an explanation, it fuels speculation about what’s really gone on.
They’ve always appeared to be one of TV’s most solid couples – and if they can’t survive, it does make you wonder if divorce is always inevitable.
The weird thing about TV personalities is you grow to think of them as friends or family.
It feels like our parents are getting a divorce.
But instead of them sitting down to tell us “it’ll all be OK”, “we both still love you” and “well, at least you’ll now get to have two TVs”, we’ve been left to face reality without their support.
After decades of sharing their relationship with viewers on-screen, fans are desperately looking for answers to why the legendary couple are no more.
What we need is the same calming reassurance they offered their guests, but sadly this time around they’re the ones in crisis.
We all wish Ruth and Eamonn the very best.