Eamonn Holmes and his girlfriend Katie Alexander are plotting another sun-soaked getaway to celebrate his 65th birthday, can reveal.
The counsellor is also planning to throw a glitzy showbiz bash when the star reaches the landmark age in December.
The lovers went public with their relationship in the summer with a glitzy Mediterranean cruise.
Last night a source close to the pair said: ‘They are looking at doing something special for his 65th birthday but this time they are thinking of the Caribbean.
‘A cruise is the best option for Eamonn due to his mobility issues linked to his back problems and offers them far more privacy and the possibility for relaxation than a conventional resort holiday or city break.
Eamonn Holmes and his girlfriend Katie Alexander are plotting another sun-soaked getaway to celebrate his 65th birthday, can reveal
‘Katie wants to throw a party for him in London as well with a select guest list of his family and some showbiz pals but Eamonn isn’t so sure on that score.
‘He would prefer to keep out of the limelight but Katie is adamant he should not let the day slip past without it being celebrated properly.’
Katie has told friends she is in for ‘the long haul’ with Eamonn, and she’s been helping Eamonn through the split from Ruth, but her friends say she is at pains to point out that their friendship has only grown close once the marriage was over.
In May it emerged Eamonn and Ruth had split after 14 years of marriage and would divorce. Cracks had started to appear in their relationship and they had not been photographed together for two years.
Katie met Eamonn on X in 2015 after she commented on a post and it sparked a conversation.
Last October he attended a charity fundraising event in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and became a patron.
The counsellor has worked for the charity as a therapist. As well as his marriage breakdown, Eamonn, has problems walking – and has been suffering chronic back pain for almost two years.
Speaking in January the presenter said the ‘harsh reality’ could be that he may never be able to walk alone again unaided.
Ruth and Eamonn announced their split in May after 14 years of marriage after work commitments ‘took their marriage in different directions’
Discussing his woes, he said: ‘It’s as if somebody up there is playing with my life. ‘In the past year, I’ve had an operation on my back which went wrong and has confined me to a wheelchair.
Read More
EXCLUSIVE
Eamonn Holmes believes Phillip Schofield has 'brought everything on himself'
‘I’ve fallen and broken my shoulder. Honestly you could not make it up.’
He added: ‘I have tried every treatment, but you go, ”Maybe I’ll never get out of it,” which is a harsh reality to face.’
Eamonn and Ruth met in 1997 when they were introduced by mutual friends and they then dated for over a decade before Eamonn popped the question and they married in 2010.
It comes after the Mail reported that Ruth has removed the stairlift from their £3.5million Surrey home. The couple announced their split earlier this year after 14 years of marriage.
Ruth installed the stairlift in January 2023 to help him get to bed as he struggled with chronic back pain from slipped discs and a dislocated pelvis. He had had surgery four months earlier but still needed help around the house.
Soon afterwards, family friend and TV presenter Rylan Clark visited the now estranged couple’s home. He posted a video of himself going up the stairs on it.