Gloria Hunniford says Eamonn Holmes is disappointed over 'This Morning' shake-up

Gloria Hunniford arrives at Old Church, 1 Marylebone Road in London for the funeral of Supermarket Sweep star Dale Winton.
Gloria Hunniford (PA)

Gloria Hunniford has told of her friend Eamonn Holmes’ disappointment over the This Morning shake-up.

The ITV show recently confirmed that Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary would be replacing Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford on Fridays.

The husband and wife team will now only host the programme during key holidays.

Read more: Ruth Langsford says working with Eamonn can be exciting but dangerous

Presenter Hunniford told the Daily Mirror: “I’ve talked to Eamonn since, and he’s clearly disappointed.

“I think they find it very difficult to understand why the change.”

 LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, NOVEMBER 25, 2019: Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford attend the White Christmas Musical press night at the Dominion Theatre. (Photo by Phil Lewis / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford (Phil Lewis / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)

“That one was very hard to understand - I don’t fully understand the reasons behind it,” Hunniford said, although the star added that it was good to see “a lot of lovely new young presenters coming in”.

It was confirmed earlier this week that Hammond and O'Leary would take over Fridays from January 2021.

Co-presentors Eamonn Holmes and Gloria Hunniford host the Sunday Live Peace Rally outside the City Hall in Belfast this morning (Sunday). The urgency of the event's message was increased by the shooting of a police bodyguard on Friday night and, after the rally, by the car-bombing of a prominent republican campaigner. Picture by Brian Little/PA.
Eamonn Holmes and Gloria Hunniford (Brian Little/PA)

Holmes and Langsford addressed the news on Twitter, saying in matching posts that it was “a changing of the guard”.

“We hope you make Alison and Dermot as welcome as you’ve made us over the years,” they said.

“Have a Ball you two!

“It’s not Goodbye from us, it’s simply Au Revoir until the next half term.”

Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond are joining the regular 'This Morning' hosting line-up. (ITV/Ken McKay)
Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond are joining the regular 'This Morning' hosting line-up. (ITV/Ken McKay)

Read more: Eamonn Holmes shares smouldering throwback photo

Langsford and Holmes joined This Morning in 2006 and their comfortable co-presenting style has been a big hit.

News of their departure has upset many viewers, with some even saying they would no longer tune in to the ITV show on Fridays if the pair were not there.

Watch: Eamonn Holmes thinks social media trolls plotted his This Morning axe

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