Fans were thrilled to see Ruth Langsford beaming as she moves forward from her painful year with a trip to Australia to support pal Jane Moore on I’m A Celebrity

Ruth Langsford is putting the stresses of 2024 behind her as she takes a pre-Christmas trip to Australia to appear on I’m A Celebrity spin off Unpacked.

The Loose Women star was photographed after touching down in Australia on Thursday, with the star looking relaxed and “genuinely happy” as she made her way through the airport. Former This Morning host Ruth, 64, announced she and husband of 14 years Eamonn Holmes were divorcing in May.

Amid the former couple’s increasingly messy split, the mum-of-one had headed Down Under in support of her Loose Women co-star and pal Jane Moore. Jane, 62, is part way through her I’m A Celeb stint in the jungle, where she is living with campmates including WAG Coleen Rooney, Strictly’s Oti Mabuse and Danny Jones of McFly fame.

As newly-single Ruth landed in Australia, she was seen smiling as she pulled her airport trolley, telling fans she’s never been able to “travel light”. Body language expert and celebrity astrologist Inbaal Honigman reckons the star looks “genuinely happy” as she takes her solo trip, although she is also showing signs of nervousness as she navigates her new normal following such a stressful year.

Ruth sipped a glass of fizz as she waited in Dubai ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)

Ruth looked “genuinely happy” as she touched down in Aus ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Inbaal Honigman said: “After landing in Australia, Ruth looks genuinely happy, if a little self-conscious. Her smiles at the airport have all the hallmarks of being genuine. First and foremost, we can see her teeth – open-mouthed smiles are rarely fake. In some photos her teeth are even parted, which shows true joy. She’s happy to have landed in the land down under. There are pictures of Ruth smiling with her cheeks raised, eyes narrowed. This shows her smiling with her whole face, where every muscle engages in the smile. This is an expression of heartfelt happiness.

“Having said that, there are a few signs that reveal that Ruth could be feeling a touch of the nerves. The presenter’s hands on the handle of her airport trolley are rather tense. Holding the handle with both hands, in some pictures they appear white-knuckled, gripping tightly. In other photos she has her hands off the trolley, but her palms are clasped together in a protective gesture. She’s not entirely out of the woods emotionally after the tough year she’s had.”

The star is putting her turbulent year behind her as she heads to Australia ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)

Ruth joked she isn’t a fan of travelling light ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)During her flight, Ruth joyfully documented her experience, sharing a photo of three suitcases, captioned: “Australia here I come!! Never could travel light!!! @imacelebrity.” When she landed in Dubai to change planes, she quickly said “goodbye grey skies” as she sipped a glass of fizz. Visibly beaming, she told fans the news that she’d be on Unpacked on Friday.

A source claimed she wanted to take the trip to move on from her painful year. They told The Sun: “It’s been a tough year for Ruth and she’s been putting her best foot forward, she’s thrilled to have been asked to appear on this the spin off show and fly to Australia ahead of Christmas.”

The source added: “The production team are particularly excited they have landed Ruth to join them as they think she’ll be amazing and give the new format a boost.”