Eamonn Holmes' health woes as he concerns fans by falling off chair live on air
Eamonn Holmes has sadly been battling ill health for a number of years and concerned fans last week when he fell off his chair live on TV - despite insisting he was "fine". The popular presenter, 65, was in the middle of hosting GB News' breakfast show when he crashed to the ground as the programme quickly cut to a commercial break.
Eamonn, who has had two hip replacements and is plagued with chronic back pain, could be heard saying: "I'm fine, fine fine, carry on, carry on" before quipping: "I'm alive.. They're very wonky wheels on chairs we've got here, as a matter of fact we don't really like the chairs here."
However, he then admitted he was in "shock" as he shared that he'd recently fallen over in his bathroom, explaining: "I'd had a fall two weeks ago in his bathroom that hospitalised me and that hit me right in the back."
Just two weeks ago, Eamonn revealed he had been rushed to hospital after experiencing a fall. In the caption, the star shared: "An unexpected journey this morning ….. bit of a fall on the bathroom floor. Gosh it hurts. Not how I wanted to be spending The Holiday weekend ..... but life's not easy these days."
The veteran broadcaster has had a lengthy battle with illness and operations and is now forced to use an electric wheelchair. Here's a look at what he's sadly been dealing with...
Double hip replacement
Eamonn opened up about his "life-changing" hip replacement, which he had in 2016, after revealing he refused the surgery for three decades. Writing for The Telegraph, he said: "Waiting was the worst decision I ever made. After having both of mine replaced seven years ago, aged 55, I haven't had a single regret: in fact, it's been life-changing."
The major surgery was carried out in a bid to tackle the Northern Irishman's excruciating hip, leg and back pain he had secretly suffered for more than 20 years. Eamonn was speaking about the surgery after Oasis frontman, Liam Gallagher, said he didn't want to have the operation himself because he was concerned about the 'stigma'.
However, rather than judging the Beady Eye star, the presenter sympathised with Liam, saying: "In the newsroom, when we heard that he needed the operation due to arthritis, most of my colleagues laughed. They were all tickled by the idea of a rocker like him being confronted with being 'over the hill'– but I saw nothing remotely funny about it."
Eamonn went on to reveal how he'd suffered pre-surgery, saying people who don't experience severe hip, leg or back pain aren't aware of how chronic it is, or "the sleepless nights or not being able to drive, let alone do anything more physically active."
Shingles
Eamonn was struck down with the viral infection that causes a painful rash in 2018, saying he looked "as if someone had taken a baseball bat to my face". The star believed his severe Shingles had been brought on by a "stressful tax row", which saw him battle with HMRC over whether he was classed as staff or a freelancer as a presenter at This Morning.
"It was bloody scary to see it," he told The Sun. "It looked as if someone had taken a baseball bat to my face and smashed me about a bit." More terrifyingly, Eamonn said the infection could have caused him to go blind.
"Blindness could have been a complication in my case," he said. "The doctor said it's really bad for you because it's around your eyes, and could be bad for your ophthalmic nerves. Medically, it was pretty serious."
Spinal surgery
In 2021, Eamonn told his followers: "Those of you who follow me on social media will know [that] about a month ago I did something to my back. I don't know how I did it – getting into the car, getting out of a car, getting out of bed, whatever. I've got an MRI scan, but the trouble is, everything closes for Easter, I haven't got it analysed yet, but what I do know is, I can't sleep at night."
Eamonn revealed the pain in his back intensified during the night, and urged sufferers of chronic pain to talk to each other and consult medical experts.
Eventually, the star discovered the cause of his pain was due to three slipped discs, which resulted in him needed spinal surgery in September 2022. However, after the operation, there was sadly more woe to come for Eamonn...
Broken shoulder
The veteran presenter admitted the spinal surgery he had in 2022 has set him back rather than improved his health as he returned to air on GB News show, Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel, after taking several months off.
Looking thoroughly fed up, he told viewers: "Basically, I can't walk. I can do everything... everything above here [gesturing to his waist] works, but it's the legs." Eamonn's co-host Isabel Webster said: "The op that you had has set you back, at the moment." Eamonn replied: "Yes, it's set me back and it made me fall down stairs. My leg gave way and I fell down 18 stairs. So I fell down the spiral staircase, smashed my right shoulder."
The father-of-four added: "The first thing you did was lean on my shoulder" to which Isabel laughed: "I won't be doing that again or you'll be off for another four months."
Needing a wheelchair
Eamonn used to rely on a mobility scooter and shared a snap of himself sitting on the vehicle, eating an ice cream while on holiday in the US in 2023. Posting the photo, Eamonn wrote: "That was me on holiday last month in USA, getting around using my mobility scooter. 13 years since my spinal fusion."
Speaking to Best magazine about the backlash his post caused, he said: "Some people were mocking me on social media... 'Oh, look at Eamonn, he's in a mobility scooter!' I replied, saying, 'I would prefer if I wasn't in it but how else would I have got around?' The alternative is I don't go anywhere, and I sit in my armchair, work in the office. So, I go out... It's mentally uplifting to get out."
However, he is now using an electric wheelchair, which he was seen using at Heathrow Airport last year after returning from holiday with girlfriend, Katie Alexander.
Despite some cruel comments about his new mode of transport, the majority of Eamonn's followers wished him well as one said: "Hope you are keeping well Eamonn. Wishing you all the love." While another: "Hope that you can manage your pain soon".
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