Presenters Eamonn and Ruth, 64, last week sensationally revealed they are divorcing after 14 years of marriage.
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Now it’s been claimed his family “never warmed” to Loose Women star Ruth following his split from Gabrielle, with whom he shares grown-up children Declan, 35, Rebecca, 33, and Niall, 31.
A source told the MailOnline: “Eamonn’s Catholic family didn’t really see eye-to-eye with Ruth, but he was totally bowled over by her.”
Ruth’s reported strained relationship with her in laws could explain why she was reluctant to relocate to Eamonn’s native Belfast – with him making no secret of his desire to move home.
A source told The Sun: “Eamonn and Ruth’s relationship changed when they left This Morning. They started moving in different directions in their careers and their priorities started to change.
“Eamonn was desperate to return to Belfast, which he thinks of as home, but Ruth would never move. It became a bone of contention.
“As her ITV career continued, Eamonn went down another path and they became ships in the night.
“For the past two years they had led separate lives, professionally and personally.”
Today The Sun revealed Ruth and Eamonn are still in touch daily despite their separation.
A source told The Sun: “Eamonn and Ruth are still in contact, they speak every day. Although they’ve separated, they’re still sharing their dog, Maggie, at the moment and of course they have their son, Jack.”
Friends have expressed concerns for Eamonn since the split, noting his mood has changed as his marriage ends.
An insider told MailOnline: “Eamonn used to be the bolshy star of daytime television, he was a confident and noisy member of the team.
“But he was clearly struggling recently – his marriage disintegrating as well as being in so much pain from his fall a couple of years ago was making him increasingly grumpy.”
Ruth and Eamonn Relationship Timeline
Before the shock split announcement, Ruth and Eamonn seemed like one of the strongest couples on UK TV – even with their signature bickering style.
Here’s how their romance played out…
1997 – The couple first meet after being introduced by mutual friends, two years after Eamonn splits from his first wife, Gabrielle, with whom he has three children.
1997-2002 – To be respectful to Gabrielle, the couple kept their relationship out of the limelight. Ruth told Daily Mail: “I thought it spoke volumes about the sort of man he was, the sort of father he was and the integrity he had. It made me love him more, not less.”
2002 – Ruth and Eamonn welcome their son, Jack, to the family.
2005 – Eamonn finalises his divorce with Gabrielle.
2006 – The pair begin to host Friday episodes of This Morning together.
2010 – Eamonn proposes to Ruth while at the Cheltenham Races, after asking Ruth’s mother for her hand.
June 2010 – Eamonn and Ruth marry at Elvetham Hall, Hampshire.
2016 – Eamonn undergoes a double hip replacement in the first of many health battles.
June 2019 – On This Morning, Ruth and Eamonn say the secret to their happy marriage. Eamonn credits “compromise, consideration and lots of conjugal,” while Ruth said it was “laughter and an equal marriage”.
November 2020 – Ruth and Eamonn are replaced on their regular Friday slot by Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary in a ‘show shake-up’.
December 2021 – After a year of being moved to the bank holiday presenting slot, both Eamonn and Ruth left This Morning.
January 2022 – Eamonn debuted on GB News, while Ruth stayed with ITV in her long-standing role on Loose Women.
September 2022 – Eamonn undergoes spinal surgery after years of back issues including a trapped sciatic nerve.
November 2022 – Eamonn falls down the stairs of his Surrey home with Ruth and breaks his shoulder, requiring a new operation.
September 2023 – Eamonn has a spine and neck stretching procedure as part of his year-long recovery.
May 2024 – Ruth and Eamonn announce they have split after 14 years of marriage and a 27-year relationship.