Eamonn Holmes has claimed that modern television is being strangled by fear, accusing senior executives of allowing “woke culture” to dictate who is deemed safe enough to appear on screen.
The 66-year-old GB News presenter made the outspoken remarks while appearing on his son Declan Holmes’ new podcast, Founder&Family Collective, released on Friday.
Speaking candidly, Eamonn argued that broadcasters are now reluctant to employ presenters who might offend, even if those same personalities are proven to deliver strong ratings.
According to Holmes, television has become overly cautious — prioritising inoffensive smiles over authenticity and relevance.
“Where television is today, this wokeism through television — it’s just pathetic,” he said. “It’s full of presenters saying, ‘Hello, lovely to see you, yes we’re all lovely.’ Which of course, they’re not in real life.”
He went on to claim that controversial figures who once drove audience engagement are quietly being frozen out of mainstream TV.
Eamonn cited Jeremy Clarkson, Piers Morgan and Jeremy Kyle as examples of presenters he believes channels no longer want to fully platform.
“These are the people who bring the ratings,” he said. “They’re relevant. They connect with viewers.”
However, he acknowledged that their willingness to speak freely also makes executives nervous.
“They’re also the people who can get channels into trouble,” he added. “They’ll say something that will offend someone — and that’s exactly what bosses are scared of. The viewers want it, but the executives don’t want to take the risk.”
Despite his claims, Clarkson currently fronts Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? on ITV, while Morgan regularly appears on ITV’s daytime shows and highlights from Piers Morgan Uncensored air weekly on Channel 5. Jeremy Kyle also hosts Jeremy Kyle Live on TalkTV.
Sharing a clip from the podcast on social media, Eamonn reflected on the conversation with his eldest son, writing that Declan had turned the tables by questioning him about balancing career and family life.
Once considered part of daytime television royalty, Eamonn spent 15 years presenting This Morning alongside his then-wife Ruth Langsford, hosting the programme’s Friday slot from 2006.
But in 2020, his long-standing role came to a sudden end when ITV removed him from the show — a moment that marked the start of a turbulent period both professionally and personally.
Following his exit, Eamonn faced a series of highly public struggles, including health problems, financial tensions with HMRC, and the eventual breakdown of his marriage.
Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary later replaced Eamonn and Ruth on This Morning in 2021.
Eamonn has since accused ITV bosses of mishandling his departure, claiming he was never given a clear explanation and that the network attempted to make it appear as though he had chosen to leave.
“No one explained anything to me,” he previously said. “They didn’t want to announce that I’d been dropped because it would affect audience figures.”
He also rejected suggestions that he was no longer relevant, following reports that ITV insiders viewed him as “too pale, stale and male” amid a push for younger talent.
Defending himself, Eamonn made his stance clear: he believes he remains worthy of a place on television.
“I have the integrity, the ability, and I deserve to be valued,” he insisted, adding that he refuses to be dismissed as a has-been.
Now fronting the breakfast show on GB News, Eamonn continues to challenge what he sees as hypocrisy within the industry — particularly around diversity.
“The diversity is only on screen,” he claimed. “Behind the scenes, it’s a different story. That’s hypocritical.”
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/