Ruth Langsford returns to Loose Women after Eamonn Holmes cut up

Ruth Langsford said she was ‘thrilled’ to be back on Loose Women on Monday as she returned to the show for the first time since her split from Eamonn Holmes.

The presenter, 64, took an extended break from the ITV show following the news that the couple were going their separate ways in May after 14 years of marriage.

Opening the show, she announced to the audience: ‘Welcome to your first Loose Women of the week, it’s great to have your company!’

Her co-star Coleen Nolan added: ‘Can I just say, I am so so happy you are back.’ 

As the crowd cheered for her return, panellist Janet Street-Porter shouted ‘Thank God! Thank God!’ 

‘I was left with her and her,’ she joked gesturing to Coleen and Brenda Edwards. 

‘I know, I won’t do it again Janet. It’s very nice to be back with you all,’ Ruth responded. 

So far, Ruth has refrained from speaking about the breakup. 

She shares son Jack, 22, with Eamonn while he has three children Declan, 35, Rebecca, 32, and Niall, 30, from a previous marriage. 

Ruth first appeared on Loose Women 24 years ago but hasn’t been on the show as their anchor since April. 

Meanwhile Eamonn, 64, has continued working at GB News since the split and has not discussed the divorce, but has been seen still wearing his wedding ring.

Earlier this month, a TV insider told MailOnline that despite it being incredibly emotional for Ruth to speak about the split, she is a professional, and knows she can’t return to television without addressing why she has been absent since April.

The source said: ‘The presenters on Loose Women have a history of opening up about their marriage splits on air and it’s a very supportive environment.’

They added: ‘Ruth knows the viewers are heavily invested in her breakup so she will be addressing her and Eamonn for the first time on the show.

‘The audience has been there through the highs and the lows of her relationship, she has always been very open and honest and later this month will be no different… she owes it to the viewers to say something.

‘She will be surrounded by the people she’s closest to on the show and then will be drawing a line under it… she has no plans to do a big interview, this will be the one and only time she speaks.’

It comes after Eamonn discussed his ongoing health issues in an Instagram post last month, where he said it’s ‘hard to stand up but next my aim is to walk’. 

The broadcaster has been suffering with chronic back pain for years but his condition worsened following an unsuccessful operation and he now struggles to walk unaided.

At the TRIC Awards last month, he was seen using a zimmer frame to walk on stage as he accepted the accolade for Best Breakfast Show for GB News.

But he also took his opportunity to send a barbed message to his estranged wife during his speech, inferring to a crowd of their mutual friends and colleagues that he had been stabbed in the back.

Accepting the gong, Eamonn told the audience: ‘I went for an operation a year and a half ago and it went wrong. So I got two things in my back that I didn’t want,‘ seemingly referring to both his recent operation and Ruth. 

 A source told MailOnline: ‘Ruth took Eamonn’s words as a dig at her. She found it unfair and hurtful,’ adding that ‘friends are worried this is going to get very nasty.’ 

It has been reported that Eamonn is being consoled amid his split from Ruth by relationship counsellor Katie Alexander, 42, who’s 22 years his junior.

Sources have told MailOnline that Katie is smitten with the broadcaster, after supporting him during his turbulent split.

The divorcee and mother-of-three has grown close to the star after a ‘string of outings’ together, and has reportedly said she is ‘in it for the long haul.’

Now, friends have told MailOnline that she and Eamonn are so close she’s ‘in love’ with him. 

He has been spending time with the counsellor in recent weeks with sources saying she hopes their closeness can grow into a long-term relationship.