Ruth Langsford says Eamonn Holmes’ health battle has been a ‘testing time’ for their family (


Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Eamonn Holmes’ wife Ruth Langsford has told of her fears that he “might never be 100 per cent right” after suffering chronic back pain for almost two years.

The Loose Women presenter, 64, has been married to Eamonn for 14 years. And speaking about his back problems and ongoing daily physio sessions, Ruth said: “I don’t know how much Eamonn’s mobility will improve. We live in hope.

“He does the physio, but there might have to be some acceptance that this might never be 100% right. With any care situation – and there are millions of carers in this country – it isn’t always easy. It’s testing but we manage as a family.”

Speaking in Woman’s Weekly about the importance of good health and ageing, she added: “I look at Eamonn, who’s had his health and back problems, and it makes you realise how important your health is.

On Friday the Mirror told how TV legend Eamonn is taking part in painful physio sessions almost every day in a bid to get fully back on his feet. He had operations on his back to help with bulging discs but then faced a setback when he fell and broke his shoulder last year.

Eamonn in wheelchair
Eamonn has been suffering chronic back pain for almost two years 
Image:
Raw Image Ltd/GoffPhotos.com)

Eamonn in wheelchair
Eamonn is taking part in painful physio sessions almost every day in a bid to get fully back on his feet 
Image:
Raw Image Ltd/GoffPhotos.com)
New photos showed him in London’s Notting Hill on two sticks and later in a wheelchair after another tough session.

A source close to 64-year-old Eamonn told the Mirror: “Eamonn has been using walking aids for around 18 months now so not much has changed unfortunately. He is doing everything he can but the lack of progress from the physio has obviously been a bit frustrating. But he continues to have physio sessions pretty much every day and continues to work hard in his rehabilitation.

“He is in pain a lot of the time and so that is not fun at all but he keeps going and he is loving his work still and he is a journalist at heart.”

Despite his daily pain, Eamonn continues in his job and thankfully sits down when working for GB News Mondays-Wednesdays which makes life easier.

Eamonnn himself has voiced fears in the past about how much of a recovery he can make. Speaking in January the presenter said the “harsh reality” could be that he may never be able to walk alone again unaided.

Discussing his woes, he said: “It’s as if somebody up there is playing with my life. In the past year I’ve had an operation on my back which went wrong and has confined me to a wheelchair. I’ve fallen and broken my shoulder. Honestly you could not make it up.”

Ruth and Eamonn
Ruth has said ‘things aren’t easy’

He added: “I have tried every treatment, but you go, ‘Maybe I’ll never get out of it,’ which is a harsh reality to face.”

Despite everything his relationship with Ruth continues to be strong and she helps him as much as she can. The couple first met in 1997 when they were introduced by mutual friends and they then dated for over a decade before Eamonn popped the question and they married in 2010.

Asked for the secret of their relationship, Ruth said: “I think always respect, mutual respect. And we laugh a lot. I think love and lust and everything’s wonderful at the start of a relationship. But really…you’ve got to have that connection as friends where you feel comfortable with each other.”