Cover story
Ruth Langsford shares her fondest festive memories, her hopes for husband Eamonn’s health and explains why becoming a grandma will be the ultimate gift
happy Boxing Day, now what can on lilos and camp beds. It was a squash I get everyone for breakfast?!,’ beams but perfect because we were together. Ruth Langsford, stepping out of I’ve got a picture of me wearing pink wardrobe in a chunky cream knit and fluffy slippers, in my nurse’s outfit, beige tuxedo trousers. Christmas – playing with my new Tressy doll. I can despite the surprise 28 degree autumn remember it like yesterday.’ sunshine outside – has officially Ruth, 63, also recalls with fondness begun on woman&home’s coveted accompanying her late dad, Dennis, on December cover photo shoot. And there’s no one more suited to serve up an early slice of festive cheer than the glamorous TV star, who relishes the season as much now as she did as a child, growing up around the world with a dad in the Army.
‘The word “Christmas” makes me happy. It’s festive, it’s togetherness, it’s family,’ she says. ‘When I was young, some Christmases we might have been in Germany or Malta and my grandparents would fly out to where my dad was stationed. Once we came back and stayed in my grandma’s one-bedroom council flat in Portsmouth, all sleeping
Christmas shopping trips to buy gifts for her mum Joan, now 91. ‘He knew Mum’s perfume, her clothes sizes and what she liked. He bought the tree, wrapped the presents and was so involved. That’s why at Christmas, I particularly miss my dad.’
This year, notes Ruth, will be a ‘hard’ one for her husband Eamonn Holmes, who turns 64 on 3 December. As well as battling crippling back pain, he lost his beloved mum, Josephine, last November.
So at the couple’s Surrey home, plans are afoot for a magical, low-key celebration with their recently graduated TV production runner son Jack, 21, and Joan – a welcome rest from work, which for Ruth centres around hosting ITV’s Loose Women and building her fashion collection with shopping channel QVC. Six years into the successful partnership, which she labels ‘a marriage made in heaven’, Ruth is currently designing her spring/summer collection and, as she looks ahead to 2024, three goals are at the forefront of her mind – happiness, health and professional prosperity.
‘I look at people around me, like Janet Street-Porter and Gloria Hunniford, who haven’t retired and still love what they’re doing,’ she smiles. ‘That gives me joy and hope to say, don’t let age hold you back!’
I see Christmas changing every year. Although Jack’s not yet been at his girlfriend’s for Christmas, I’m sure the time will come. Then I’ll have to take a big gulp and go, ‘That’s lovely, darling. Of course, it’s absolutely no problem.’ But, of c
