Eamonn Holmes furiously hits back after being accused of getting his co-host Isabel Webster axed from GB News

Eamonn Holmes has hit back in anger after being accused of sacking his co-host Isabel Webster from GB News.

The TV star, 65, made the comment after Isabel left the show amid a shake-up at the channel, claiming her relationship with the channel’s bosses had turned sour.

Webster, 41, was replaced on the channel’s breakfast show by 31-year-old Ellie Costello, dubbed the organisation’s ‘own Holly Willoughby’.

The shock was one of a number of changes made by Britain’s newest news channel, as Jacob Rees-Mogg saw his hours cut and Mark Dolan replaced on his weekend show.

And as Eamonn returned to work on Monday after the Christmas and New Year holidays, he posted a photo with new co-host Ellie.

In his caption, he praised Ellie Costello, 31, for being “fresh, bright and different.”

He wrote: ‘A new year, a new day and a new breakfast line-up on @GBNews.

‘It’s now Eamonn and @EllieCostellotv from 6 to 9.30am. It’s fresh, bright, different and I hope we can see your business on TV, online, on your smartphone, on your radio and by asking your smart device to play GB News. Please join us and say hello.”

An angry troll then wrote under the post in the comments section: ‘Your buddy got fired for not being right-wing enough and you sat back and did nothing. With friends like you…’

But Eamonn then shot back angrily: “And you know nothing!”

In December, Isabel was replaced as Eamonn’s co-host after her relationship with the channel’s bosses turned sour, insiders revealed.

According to The sunWebster’s shock exit was caused by a secret feud with her employees over her working hours.

The presenter ‘wasn’t happy’ that channel chiefs expected her to increase her on-screen days from three to five a week and ‘refused to bow to demands’.

“It had become a sticking point in negotiations and was causing tension behind the scenes,” an insider said The sun.

‘Eamonn is clearly the main star of the show and likes to be in charge. He now looks forward to working with Ellie, a young talent who he can help shape as her career progresses.”

Responding to these claims, a spokesperson for GB News said: ‘This is completely untrue.’

Talks between Webster and GB News broke down at the end of last year and she was subsequently fired from the company, a decision that ‘blindsided’ her colleague Holmes.

The couple had just finished their last show of the year and were reportedly planning to celebrate Christmas together.

But she was immediately replaced by Costello, who will join Holmes from Monday to Wednesday, and Stephen Dixon on Thursday and Friday.

Holmes then issued a ‘ferocious’ response to Webster’s dismissal, replying ‘Bye my girl x’ to a tweet about her departure.

Insiders said the post paid no tribute to a colleague he had worked with since the show launched in 2022.

The pair were said to be ‘good friends’ and ‘worked well together’, but questions have now been raised about their relationship after their ‘no gushing post’ about Webster’s departure.

Holmes will continue to work three days a week because it’s “always the bigger name who works fewer days on screen,” another source told The Sun.

Another senior figure at GB News told MailOnline at the time that the station’s bosses thought Webster was ‘too woke’ and left-wing.

Another insider told MailOnline: ‘Ellie Costello is GB News’ Holly Willoughby. The bosses and Eammon want to shape her. Plus, Eamonn and Ellie have great chemistry.”

Elsewhere on the channel, Ben Leo, 34, will take over from Mark Dolan, 50, who revealed he had been sacked from his regular Saturday and Sunday evening show.

Former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who was paid more than £300,000 last year, is another GB News presenter affected by changes at the channel.

He presented his State of the Nation program four evenings a week: on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But now he only does that on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“Jacob is too expensive – and his ratings aren’t great either,” said a source.

Pre-tax losses at GB News were £42.4m in 2023 – up from £30.7m in 2022.

It was also fined £100,000 by broadcasting regulator Ofcom for a ‘blatant’ breach of broadcasting rules during a Q&A with Rishi Sunak.

Webster, a former BBC broadcaster, was one of the stars of GB News on Sky News in 2021, but she is now leaving after just over three years.

“Isabel was too awake and had no message,” a senior insider told MailOnline.

Presenter Dolan also announced that he had been ‘relieved of his duties’.

“Mark’s ratings weren’t good,” the same source said, but added that his show was up against Strictly Come Dancing.

Dolan has promised to “speak publicly about this in due course,” but has remained silent for 24 hours. An insider said his flip-flops on Brexit over the years had not helped him with bosses and some viewers.

Ben Leo will replace him from January. He will also continue to co-host Britain’s Newsroom on Fridays.