(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Former This Morning host Ruth Langsford broke her silence on the changes at This Morning and shown her support for her Loose Women colleagues, Jane Moore, 62, and GK Barry, 25, as they compete in the I’m A Celeb jungle. Ruth spoke as she touched down in Australia to appear on the I’m a Celebrity spin-off show, Unpacked.
Speaking at Brisbane Airport, Ruth praised Jane’s performance in the jungle, saying: “I thought Jane was extraordinary in her challenge when she swam underwater. That was extremely difficult, I would not have been able to do that. She was very calm, and you noticed that the only person who didn’t scream on the bus was Jane. She is a good woman.” Despite her enthusiasm for the show, Ruth ruled out participating herself, stating: “Absolutely not.”
(Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
She also opened up about This Morning, which is set for a shake-up after after Martin Frizell’s exit. The long-running boss has served as editor for ITV’s daytime programme since 2014. Asked about the This Morning changes, Ruth said: “I don’t know, I haven’t been on it for two years.” When asked if she would fancy going back, she said: “Never say never.”
She kept fans updated on her trip to Oz via social media, reports the Mirror, chronicling her journey Down Under on her Instagram Stories, complete with snaps of three bulging suitcases and the playful caption: “Australia here I come!! Never could travel light!!! @imacelebrity.”
After a glamorous layover in Dubai, where she bid “goodbye grey skies” and sipped on some sparkling champagne, Ruth hinted at embarking on an exciting adventure before teasing her appearance on Unpacked on Friday 29 November. While flying, she stumbled across a magazine article about her own jungle-bound escapade, sharing her amusement with the quip: “Reading about myself on the plane… bizarre! Can’t believe I’ll be within touching distance of @janepmoore!!”
(Image: Ruth Langsford/Instagram)
(Image: Ruth Langsford/Instagram)
Ruth, who announced her split from Eamonn Holmes after 14 years of marriage in May, is set to bring her charm to the Unpacked sofa. She’s gearing up to guest host with Joel Dommett, Sam Thompson, and Kemi Rodgers.
Meanwhile, Alison Hammond, now part of the Friday This Morning presenting squad that stepped in for Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, addressed the recent changes on the show. On the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, she credited Martin Frizell for her success and lamented his departure, saying, “I’ve worked with Martin for 10 years now, and I am, I’ll be honest with you, I’m absolutely devastated because he’s been a real rock for the show.”
Alison, 49, reflected on her journey to fame under Martin’s guidance. “It’s completely understandable why he’s leaving. We’re all aware of his wife, Fiona (Phillips, who has Alzheimer’s), and we understand his reasons for leaving. It’s a very amicable situation. He doesn’t want to leave, but he has to for family reasons, and we all get that.”
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
When asked if she’d reached out to Martin, Alison said: “Yes, I have spoken to him. I’ve sent him a little message… I think, you know, he’s upset as well. It’s an emotional situation, you know, he’s very emotional.”
“He’s the one – shall I be honest with you – he’s the one who got me back on TV. He literally was like, ‘Alison’s really good, why don’t we use her?’ There was a time when I wasn’t on TV, I think it was 2007 or eight, I can’t really remember. Then Martin came on board and he was like, ‘Why are we not using Alison Hammond?’ And he was the guy who made me the girl. So, you know, I’m really thankful to Martin Frizell, he’s a wonderful man. He’s going to be sadly missed. We’re all talking about it, like, behind the scenes. Everyone’s really sad. Everyone’s really gutted.”