Ruth Langsford has laid bare the emotional toll of her split from ex-husband Eamonn Holmes, revealing she spent weeks in therapy “crying so much” she couldn’t even show her face.
The Loose Women star, 66, separated from the GB News presenter in May 2024 after 27 years together, including 14 years of marriage — and admits the aftermath left her completely overwhelmed.
Opening up on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, Ruth described therapy as the “best thing” she could have done, explaining that speaking to someone with no personal connection to her or Eamonn helped her process the heartbreak. She said the therapist didn’t know them personally and didn’t take sides, instead allowing her to talk freely while gently guiding her through the pain.
At the height of her grief, Ruth revealed she attended sessions once or even twice a week — but was so distraught in the beginning that her therapist couldn’t even see her face for the first three sessions because she spent the entire time crying into her hands.
One moment, however, changed everything. Ruth recalled how her therapist bluntly told her: your marriage is over. Although she admitted she already knew it, hearing it so directly forced her to confront reality. The therapist added that until she accepted it, she wouldn’t be able to move on — a message Ruth says stayed with her. Eventually, she reached a turning point, realising “the fight’s over,” which allowed her to begin healing.
Despite the heartbreak, Ruth insists she hasn’t closed the door on love. While she laughed off suggestions that she’s already dating or being set up by friends, she made it clear she hasn’t been put off men, relationships, or even marriage. She admitted she’s not actively looking and isn’t on dating apps, but hasn’t ruled anything out for the future.
Her reflections come as Eamonn Holmes has already moved on, striking up a relationship with counsellor Katie Alexander, who is 22 years younger than him.
Elsewhere in the deeply emotional interview, Ruth also spoke about the devastating loss of her sister Julia, who died in 2019 after battling depression. She shared how the unanswered questions left behind were one of the hardest parts of the tragedy, repeatedly asking herself why — only to eventually accept that she may never know.
Ruth explained that coming to terms with that reality was the only way she could begin to ease the pain, recognising that nothing she could have done would have changed the outcome.
She added that returning to work ultimately became her lifeline, helping her move forward while still carrying the grief of missing her sister every day.
