Eamonn Holmes claims he could move back to Northern Ireland and marry 'local girl' in resurfaced interview

Eamonn Holmes could be eyeing a return to Belfast following his split from wife Ruth Langsford.

The GB News star, 64, has made no secret of the fact his heart lies in his native Northern Ireland and in a resurfaced interview, he claimed that the only thing standing in his way was Langsford.

He even joked about finding himself a new “local girl” to marry.

Speaking on NVTV's Conversations With Gerry Kelly in November, he explained: “Ruth wouldn’t come back to Northern Ireland. Yes, because of her family and also because she’s English and she sees life around London and things, whereas I can’t stand London. So we have a different outlook on things like that.”

He continued: “Maybe Ruth will be run over by a bus or something, who knows?

Ruth Langsford is said to have ‘blindsided’ Eamonn Holmes by issuing a statement announcing their marriage was over (PA Archive)
Ruth Langsford is said to have ‘blindsided’ Eamonn Holmes by issuing a statement announcing their marriage was over (PA Archive)

“If I get another wife I might come back, get a local girl. That's awful talking about Ruth being run over by a bus, that's awful.”

Langsford announced last weekend that they were separating after more than two decades together and 14 years of marriage.

The move by the Loose Women panelist is said to have left Holmes “blindsided” despite reports that they had been “living separate lives for two years”.

During the chat, Holmes also opened up about the health woes which are believed to have been a contributing factor to his and Langsford’s split.

In 2016, Holmes underwent a double-hip replacement operation lasting three-and-a-quarter hours after living with acute pain for many years.

The TV presenter then had back surgery last year to help relieve the symptoms but has been left using a wheelchair after the operation went “wrong”.

He said: “You couldn't make it up. It's as if somebody is up there playing with my life.

“In the past year, I've had an operation on my back, which has gone wrong, which has confined me to wheelchair. I have had my mother dying, and I couldn't go to her funeral.”