Eamonn Holmes explained that his current absence of GB News is due to medical advice following a flare-up of his ongoing back condition.
The 62-year-old former This morning host – who spoke openly about his battle with chronic pain in recent years – joined the news channel as a co-host of its new morning show in January, but was absent from screens after hospital treatment.
Holmes said in a statement on social media: “Many of you have asked why I didn’t present GB News last week.
“Unfortunately, due to a recurrence of a long-term back condition, I had to undergo some unexpected hospital treatment and is now following a doctor’s orders with a short break.
Read more: Eamonn Holmes is afraid to end up in a wheelchair if he loses a battle with chronic pain
“However, I look forward to returning with Isabel, my breakfast co-presenter and friend, next week.
“Although I joined GB News just six months ago, the whole team and our amazing audience showed me tremendous support, which was greatly appreciated.
“I now need some time with my family to recover and be healed.”
Holmes hosted the GB News show Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel along with Isabel Webster since the beginning of the year.
He has three slippery discs in his back caused by a dislocated pelvis and has suffered from persistent problems in recent years as a result, including chronic pain and insomnia.
Holmes – who has been seen using a walking stick in recent months – has regular physiotherapy and steroid injections to combat the pain.
The first GMTV a performer said his pelvis “mysteriously” dislocated in 2021 and as a result exposed his back.
He said he now “can’t remember what life was like without the pain”.
Holmes suffered a double hip replacement in 2016. The surgery was performed to treat a terrible hip, leg and back pain he had secretly suffered for over 20 years.
He said last year: “I have no idea why in such a short time you go from being healthy to being told that your nerves are dead in your leg from your back and it may take a year before there is improvement, and you don’t have a choice rather than doing the exercises otherwise you will sit in a wheelchair. “
Holmes struck a chord with many of his one million Twitter followers as he began to open up on social media in the early hours of the morning. about his struggle to sleep while suffering from such intense pain.
His move to GB News led to his departure Simon McCoy.
McCoy said in response: ‘A GB News representative told Express.co.uk:'[Simon] is being replaced by Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster and we’re excited about it. ‘ That’s good. “
Read more: Eamonn Holmes says he got no reason why “This Morning” dropped him
The former Sky News presenter has left his position as the main presenter of the BBC News at One in March to join the new GB News channel for its launch in June.
He hosted an afternoon show along with Alexandra Phillips titled McCoy & Phillips.
Hours after it was announced Holmes was joining the channel, a GB News representative announced that McCoy was leaving “for personal reasons”.
Watch Eamonn Holmes make his GB News debut in January 2022
