Eamonn Holmes Faces Mountingโ Pressure at GB news Amidst HMRC Tax Battle
LONDON, UK โ- Eamonn Holmes, 65, is reportedly experiencing โขa “difficult”โข period atโค GB News,โ with sources citingโ a noticeable shift in his behavior as he continues to battle a notable tax dispute with HMRC (Her โคMajestyS Revenue and Customs).The former This Morning presenter is allegedly clashing with colleagues and exhibiting a “foul mood” behind the scenes, โฃaccording โto a reportโค in the Daily Mail, โas pressure mounts from the ongoing financial strain.
The turmoil โstems from HMRC’s demand for back taxes related to Holmes’โ time presenting โฃSky’s Sunrise โ morning show, arguing he was incorrectly classified as aโ freelancer. โขHolmes claimsโ the tax bill has already exceeded ยฃ1 million, and โHMRC is seekingโ an additional ยฃ250,000.
“They โฃstill want another quarter of a million pounds off meโฆ I’ve paid them more than a million already, but โขthey won’t stop,”โ Holmes reportedly fumed. “Its โstill going on and they โwant another ยฃ250,000. They’ve ruinedโข me.”
He โfurther stated, “They came afterโ me and said, ‘We always said that you were self-employed?โค Well, we’ve thought about it, you’re not, โขso we want ten years of โฃback โtaxes and nationalโข insurance.’ so theyโ basically, at the most vulnerable time of my life, wrecked me financially.”
The financial pressure has reportedly forced Holmes to sell properties, including his house inโข Belfast andโข a placeโ in Portugal, whileโฃ still owing HMRC โa substantialโ sum. Heโ has lostโ two appeals against โขtheโ tax assessment and faces significant legal fees. “I went back and appealed it twice and lost it twice. And lawyers fees are absolutely horrendous,” โขhe said. โHolmes โhas described the โขsituation as “thievery.”
Sources at GB News suggest the stress is impacting his on-airโค persona. “It feels โlike everything is coming toโ a head. What happens on screenโ and what happens off-screen are very different,” one source told the Daily Mail. “When theโข cameras roll,โ eamonn โstill switches it on, but away from thatโค it’s very messy. He’s โin a foul mood,and everyone behindโค the scenes feels it.” โThe source โขadded that “People’s patience is wearing a โคbit thin.”
The โคsituation is compoundedโข by Holmes’ recent personal lifeโ changes, including his divorceโค from Ruth Langsford. Friends areโข reportedly โencouraging him โto โขrelocate to Ireland, believing he wouldโ lead a โ”nicer life,” but he appears “clinging on to the โคfame in England.”
The split from Langsford has also involved untangling complex business interests and assets. While Holmes facesโ ongoing tax issues, Langsford’s business reportedly holds โover ยฃ1โฃ million in cash, according to recent accountancy figures. She is also reportedly pursuing legalโ action to secureโ herโค share โof their ยฃ3.6 million โmaritalโ home, โคhaving โbeen granted a severance of joint โคtenancy, ensuring her share would not pass to Holmes โupon her death.
Express โOnline has contacted โคEamonn Holmes’ representatives and GB Newsโค forโ comment.
Context: Eamonnโค Holmes began his broadcasting career inโข Northernโ Ireland before gainingโฃ national โprominence with GMTV and This Morning.He joined GB News in 2023. tax disputes involving high-profileโข individuals often highlight the complexities of UK tax law, โnotably regarding self-employment status andโ IR35 regulations, which aim to ensure that contractors pay โsimilar โคtax and National Insuranceโ contributionsโ as employees.
