Eamonn Holmes is said to have sent his ex-wife a reassuring message telling her he was not engaged, after it was reported he was set to marry Katie Alexander.
The GB News presenter, 64, was at the centre of rumours he had popped the question to Katie, 42, after she was spotted sporting a sparkling diamond ring.
However, friends close to them have denied they are engaged after reports emerged over the weekend, but insisted they are “together for the long haul”.
In an attempt to protect Ruth Langsford’s feelings, Eamonn is believed to have contacted her to pour cold water on engagement speculation.
A source told MailOnline: “There are other people involved in this and I know Eamonn had to message Ruth to say there was nothing to the engagement speculation.”
Eamonn Holmes is said to have sent his ex-wife a reassuring message that he was not engaged after it was reported he was set to marry Katie Alexander.
The GB News presenter, 64, was at the centre of rumours he had popped the question to Katie, 42, after she was spotted sporting a sparkling diamond ring.
In a bid to protect Ruth Langsford’s feelings, Eamonn is believed to have contacted her to pour cold water on the engagement speculation.
The source revealed that while Katie is keen to go public with their relationship, after it grew out of a close friendship, Eamonn is reluctant.
They said: ‘Katie just wants to get it over with but Eamonn isn’t so keen because he doesn’t want to hurt Ruth’s feelings.’
Eamonn previously shared his hopes of maintaining a friendship with Ruth, after they announced their split following 14 years of marriage and 27 years together.
Opening to the Mirror Speaking about his personal life, he explained: “It’s too early to say, but I hope we can still be friends.”
Eamonn is said to be smitten with Katie and their relationship has “taken to the next level”, MailOnline previously revealed.
Friends said they now spend most weekends together at his Richmond apartment after his marriage to Ruth ended.
Eamonn and Katie are reportedly considering when to go public with their relationship and have been offered “a lot of money” for the first official photos of them together.
The source told us: “They have been offered decent money for the first pictures of them together.”
Eamonn is said to be in love with Katie and their blossoming friendship has “taken to the next level”.
Despite their relationship going from strength to strength, Eamonn and Ruth have recently been spotted still wearing their wedding rings.
Eamonn and Katie’s friendship took a further step when he moved out of the marital home he shared with Ruth after his devastated wife discovered messages between him and another mystery woman.
Katie has revealed to friends that their former “close friendship” has “gone up several notches.”
And our source added: “Katie and Eamonn are definitely in it for the long haul. She says she loves him and he loves her.”
Katie sparked engagement speculation after she was pictured wearing a diamond ring on her ring finger over the weekend.
But we can also reveal the sparkler is a “years old” piece of jewellery and that Eamonn has not gotten down on one knee to pop the question to the counsellor, who specialises in helping people recover from the trauma of marriage break-ups.
A source told us: “Katie has had that ring forever, it’s been years. The photo has caused much hilarity amongst her family and friends and also quite a bit of confusion. It seems she is just playing it up to create headlines and speculation.”
Eamonn and Ruth announced they were parting ways in May after a 27-year relationship and 14 years of marriage.
Eamonn had struck up an intimate relationship with the “affairs and betrayals” counsellor months before their marriage broke down.
Last year, he befriended Katie behind the back of his devastated wife and legendary co-host, Ruth.
The star showered Katie with gifts and trips and befriended her children as their close relationship developed further.
In February, the breakfast host treated Katie and her family to a trip to Woburn Safari Park in Bedford – he even shared snaps of their outing on social media.
Eamonn did not publicly reveal that he was on a day trip with his new partner.
Katie’s head was barely visible in the back of a jeep he posed in front of as unsuspecting fans were left clueless about the blossoming romance behind Ruth’s back.
He treated her and her two youngest children to a stay at Center Parcs last year, and also a trip to a Beyoncé concert last year.
Eamonn, a die-hard Manchester United fan, gave Katie and her children his tickets to a Premier League match at Old Trafford last season.
Ruth Langsford was still sporting her wedding ring in a new snap three months after splitting from ex-husband Eamonn.
And in a further blow to his now estranged wife Ruth, Katie left her northern home on multiple occasions to stay at the four-star Brooklands Hotel in Weybridge, Surrey, just a 10-minute drive from Eamonn’s marital home.
Katie was spotted at the sprawling spa destination, next to Mercedes Benz World and a race track, in March and was described as a “frequent visitor”.
The councillor told friends she had enjoyed a “wonderful weekend” and had also visited Northern Ireland with Eamonn.
Also last October, the TV star attended a small fundraising event at Yorkshire mental health counselling charity Platform 1 and agreed to become a patron. The event was held just minutes from Katie’s home.
The charity, a nine-hour round trip from Eamonn’s home, is where Katie worked for two years.
Divorcee Katie met Eamonn through Twitter after commenting on a post, sparking a conversation in 2015.