The REAL reason Eamonn Holmes' girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43, was absent from the TRIC awards - after presenter, 65, was BOOED during his acceptance speech
Eamonn Holmes ' girlfriend Katie Alexander was noticeably absent from Tuesday night's Television and Radio Industries Club (TRIC) awards in order to 'protect her mental health'.
The presenter, 65, was in attendance for the second year in a row at London's Grosvenor House to accept an accolade on behalf the GB News Breakfast Team.
But - as Eamonn was wheeled around the venue on his wheelchair - his girlfriend of around a year was nowhere to be seen.
Katie, who had travelled to London on Tuesday, took to her Instagram on the evening of the show to reveal the reason for her absence.
Sharing a photo of her sat down in a cabin to her Stories, the 43-year-old wrote: 'Was going to The Tric Awards, but I'd rather protect my Mental Health and Inner Peace than be subjected to more online hate from people who don't know me.'
His girlfriend of a year Katie Alexander, 43, was noticeably absent from the event despite being in London on Tuesday
She then revealed that Eamonn's travel show co-host had instead gone in her place, as she concluded: 'Thank you to @hayleysparkestv for stepping in! You look gorgeous!'
The marriage guidance counsellor, who began dating Eamonn in mid-2024, did however congratulate her love on his victory in a later post.
'Winner winner, Chicken dinner!' she penned on her Stories.
Eamonn and GB News's triumph was not met with such a good reception at the venue however, as a chorus of boos rang out as the Northern Irishman accepted the accolade.
One angry attendee even heckled Eamonn while he gave his acceptance speech.
A source told MailOnline: 'After it was announced that GB News Breakfast had won, there were a few boos around the room. Due to his wheelchair, Eamonn needed a ramp to get up on the stage.
'He gave a moving speech about the work of colleague Charli Peters, who had earlier won News Presenter for his work on exposing grooming gangs in Britain.
'It was a nice moment seeing Eamonn pay tribute to a fellow news presenter, but it seemed someone in the audience didn't agree.
'They heckled for Eamonn to "get off," and it was an awkward end to his speech.'
It was unclear whether the star heard the heckler as he gushed: 'For the thousands of people who voted, that is brilliant for us so we say thank you, thank you, thank you, to anyone who did bothered to vote.'
It marks the second year in a row Eamonn has accepted the award in the News category at the viewer voted awards show.
Last year he accepted the award aided by his walker as he in inferred that he had been stabbed in the back, telling the audience: 'So I got two things in my back that I didn't want,' seemingly referring to both his operation and his split from Ruth Langsford.
The presenters shocked fans last May as they confirmed the end of their 14-year marriage.
But despite quickly moving on with his new girlfriend, Eamonn had continued to wear his gold band on his wedding finger.
Just a couple of weeks ago the presenter was spotted for the first time without the ring on while presenting GB News alongside co-star Ellie Costello.
While he publicly ditched his jewellery for the on-air appearance, MailOnline understands that Eamonn does occasionally remove his ring off-camera.
The star was also recently seen ring-less while attending the launch party of groundbreaking new luxury raffle company Anchord UK.
It comes weeks after Ruth finally ditched her wedding ring almost a year after announcing their split.
But since then, Ruth has resolutely kept her wedding and engagement rings on, even once declaring to a fan that she wouldn't remove them 'because I am still married.'
On a recent episode of her ITV show Loose Women though, Ruth revealed the rings were off.
Meanwhile, Eamonn's girlfriend Katie recently addressed a diamond ring on her wedding finger in new post shortly after going 'Instagram official' with their romance.
The presenter and marriage guidance counsellor Katie have been dating since mid-2024, with engagement rumours swirling since December.
And taking to her Instagram Stories, Katie posted a glowing selfie in a striped shirt, adding a playful thought bubble that read: 'Time for a coffee in between clients?'
In the snap, a dazzling diamond ring was clearly visible - prompting questions from fans. But before any rumours could gather steam, Katie quickly shut them down.
She clarified: 'Before anyone jumps to the #ringgate bandwagon, the camera is reversed so.... RightHandRingFinger!'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Doechii at Glastonbury review – an education in rap from the greatest teacher in the game
When Doechii takes the stage at West Holts on Saturday night, she is introduced to us as Doechii the don, the dean, the supreme. Before the hour is out, no one in the audience will be left in doubt as to the Grammy winner's mastery of her craft, or how much work she has put in to achieve it. But at the same time as flaunting her natural ability, Doechii is also eager to show her working and the paths she used – and her debut UK festival appearance is all the more mesmerising for it. The 26-year-old performer's schoolgirlish styling – giant lockers, rows of desks, Doechii's long braids and exceedingly brief kilt – is immediately obvious as a feint: she may be a relative newcomer to the scene, but she is no rookie. The videos playing either side of the stage bring the set's concept into focus: Doechii (real name Jaylah Ji'mya Hickmon) is leading us, step by step, through the steps necessary to become a hip-hop master – from how to distinguish between 'good bars and GREAT bars', to understanding 'the aspect of flow' and the importance of genre. The overarching suggestion is that Doechii is the total package, and she makes it hard to argue with: she is pure power, head-to-toe sinew, as tightly coiled as a snake and just as hard to tear your eyes off. Doechii spits, she lunges, she sprints the length of the stage and seems to hardly pause for breath throughout the entire show. Should you catch yourself wondering where this force of nature sprung from, she's eager to tell you, peppering her set between snippets of Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Missy Elliott and even Daft Punk. It not only adds richness to the show but also places Doechii within a musical lineage, identifying her as an artist who swotted up on the greats, then found a spin uniquely her own. After Bullfrog, the screens switch from black-and-white to vivid colour, and Doechii launches into Boiled Peanuts, defined by its irresistible, cackling refrain – the crowing 'ha ha ha' of a victor who knows herself to be head and shoulders above the competition. That triumphant glee extends into Nissan Altima: Doechii is held aloft by her posse of backing dancers, swinging her braids like the imperious head cheerleader. The show's pace is so relentless, the choreography so precise and the Doechii's flow so airtight that all the crowd can do is hold on and hope for dear life to be carried along. With her freestyle over America Has a Problem, from Beyoncé's Renaissance, Doechii challenges anyone who dares fancy themselves her competition to step up: 'I see a lotta bitches, I don't see a lotta stars / I hear a lot of rappers, I don't hear a lot of bars.' The follow-up nod, in that song, to the Barbz – Nicki Minaj's famously fanatical fanbase – makes Doechii's most obvious comparison explicit, but not only does she match Nicki's impeccable flow, she also bests her stage presence. Nicki's never been known as much of a performer, whereas Doechii runs the length of the stage in heels and throws her body around like it's another special effect at her disposal. Through Alter Ego, she's flirtatious, casting coy glances over her shoulder, then antagonistic, spitting fire from a low squat position. Doechii's association with alligators, appearing on the cover of her album Alligator Bites Never Heal, is apt: they share the same implacable ferocity, bared teeth and glint to the eye. A dance break involving umbrellas adds to the spectacle, but slightly obscures the school of hip-hop through-line. The show restores equilibrium with Persuasive, Doechii's track with SZA – obviously performed tonight without her, but with such force that you don't feel the absence. Doechii's back and forth with her DJ/hype woman Miss Milan adds to the party atmosphere; by the time she launches into Nosebleeds from atop of a giant pair of speakers with her dance troupe way below, the crowd is hanging on her every word. From that apparent peak, the highs only continue with an X-rated performance of Crazy and a rendition of her hit Anxiety that blasts the sample, Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know, with heavy distortion. For all her immense technical ability and precision, there's actually something quite metal about Doechii in her commitment to spectacle. On top of all that, she has a strong, clear voice, capable of acrobatics but not inclined to launch into them just for show. On GTFO, she spars with her dancers, then the camera; for Catfish, she shows off her vocal timbre, descending into a guttural, bristling growl. It is brilliant, but unrelenting; a reprieve from all that intensity arrives with Denial is a River – Doechii's Salt-N-Pepa-esque, gossipy hit about a cheating partner and the narrator's own self-deception. It's presented within the educational framework of tonight's set as an exemplar of 'the art of storytelling', and more than delivers on that promise: Doechii is relaxed, self-deprecating and conversational with Miss Milan. You could happily watch her riff in this register for hours. As it is, Doechii concludes her 'school of hip-hop' with a rousing rendition of Boom Bap, then skips off stage. It might seem anticlimactic – West Holts seems to be left slightly reverberating by her sudden absence – but it's in fact one last lesson: a true master knows to always leave the crowd wanting more.
The Guardian
44 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Tell us: what have you been reading this month?
As part of The Guardian's 'what we're reading' series, we would like to hear about the books you've particularly enjoyed this month. Have you read a book in recent weeks – fiction or non-fiction – that you'd recommend? Tell us all about it below. You can get in touch by filling in the form below. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact before we publish, so please do leave contact details. If you're having trouble using the form, click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
What to watch, read and listen to this summer
'What makes a really great summer anthem is a breeziness,' says the Guardian music critic Ben Beaumont-Thomas, 'like it cools you down slightly on a hot summer's day.' So what are the summer hits of 2025? And not just in music, but film and books too? Ben, the Guardian's film editor, Catherine Shoard, and the deputy head of books, David Shariatmadari, talk to Nosheen Iqbal about what you should be listening to, watching and reading this summer. If you've listened to the episode and missed some of their recommendations, here they are in full: Music Films Books
