Northern Irish broadcaster Eamonn Holmes has sparked concern among viewers after abruptly leaving his morning television production half-way through the show.
The 64-year-old journalist, who co-anchors GB News Breakfast with 41-year-old Isabel Webster, was largely silent during an interview with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health Maria Caulfield on Tuesday morning (overnight in Australia).
During the 10-minute interview, Webster could be seen questioning Caulfield alone, and about five minutes into the discussion, Holmes left his desk off-screen, with footage of the interview showing Webster continuing the interview by herself.
Watch the video above.
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Once the interview with Caulfield wrapped up, Webster continued to present the breakfast show by herself for its remaining 90 minutes, with no explanation of Holmes’ absence given to viewers at the time.
In a statement issued to multiple UK media outlets hours later, a spokesperson for GB News said: ”[Holmes] had to finish a little earlier today as he was feeling unwell. He hopes to be back tomorrow.”
Holmes himself has not commented on the matter, though it comes days after his first solo public appearance following his split from television presenter Ruth Langsford, who is currently a panelist on Loose Women and was also his wife of 14 years.
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While attending the TRIC Awards last week, Holmes claimed he is on “borrowed time” and said his health had been deteriorating.
Using a wheelchair and walker to attend the ceremony, which saw him take home the News award on behalf of his breakfast show, Holmes said he almost skipped the event due to severe back pain.
”I wasn’t going to come, but I’ve got this new chair with all these gadgets,” he told the Mirror at the event.
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“I had an operation a year and a half ago, and two things went wrong so I have two things in my back I don’t want. So I’ll happily accept this.”
He also addressed his split from Langsford, telling the outlet: ”I’m not OK. This is not a good time at all. It’s too early to say but I hope we can still be friends.”
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