Ruth Langsford shares sweet tribute to her late father and sister in throwback Father’s Day snap

Ruth Langsford shared a sweet tribute to her late father and sister as she celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday.

The presenter, 64, posted a throwback photo of her father, Dennis, with her older sister Julia on his shoulders.

Ruth’s father died in 2012 at the age of 84 from complications of dementia, after 57 years of marriage to his devoted wife Joan.

Meanwhile, her sister Julia, who had been battling depression for years, was found dead in June 2019 at the age of 62.

Paying tribute to the couple, Ruth wrote: ‘Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful dads out there… I hope you have a fantastic day being spoiled by your family.

‘I’m thinking today of my wonderful father Dennis and my sister Julia… this is them on a day out while my mother was still in hospital with me, just after I was born. Singapore 1960’.

The tribute comes after Ruth and her husband Eamonn Holmes announced their plans to divorce last month after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together.

Ruth has previously opened up about her father’s death as she revealed the heartbreaking impact it had on her mother.

Discussing his death on Loose Women in 2017, she confessed that the hardest part was watching her elderly mother lose “the love of her life.”

She said at the time: ‘I was grieving and losing my father, but my mother lost the love of her life, the man she married and had children with.

“They had years and years of memories. You don’t often hear people talk about that side.

“When my father went into care, my mother was so distraught… I’m sorry,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Ruth, a mother of one herself, continued: ‘You hope so, but you know they probably won’t get better.

‘I’m sorry, sometimes I just can’t talk about it. It’s thinking about my mother, that side of it that touches me.’

Meanwhile, she admitted last year that losing her sister was the “hardest year” of her life.

According to The Mirror, she said: ‘The hardest year of my life was when my sister died. I can’t even tell you what year it is because I’ve basically blocked it out of my memory.”

Ruth said Eamonn and their son Jack were both supportive and her job also helped her after Julia’s death as it gave her ‘structure’ back in her life.

“Eamonn was great at that time and Jack worked afterward,” she said.

“I needed a focus, and that was to get up and cry in the shower, let out a big old cry, and then I could almost break it off and say, ‘Okay, come on, time for work, dry off her, go to work.”

‘I needed that, because I could lie and cry about my sister all day long. I needed that focus and structure in my life again.’

It was revealed on Friday that Eammon has reportedly become close to a divorcee 22 years his junior following his split from Ruth.

Although his friendship would not be a reason for the marriage to break up, it is clear that Ruth did not know her until recently and has decided to take time off from work.

Eamonn is comforted by younger friend, relationship counselor Katie Alexander, 42, with whom he has been on a ‘series of outings’, according to reports The sun.

The mother-of-three has now been spotted visiting Eamonn at his rented apartment in South West London from her home in Yorkshire.

Katie was spotted driving to and from his luxury apartment on Friday.

The pair have reportedly struck up a friendship in recent years, and according to the publication, Eamonn has taken her on a safari park trip, to a Manchester United match and a Beyoncé concert.

Eamonn has reportedly become close to the woman over the past year.

While it is not said that his friendship is a reason for the marriage to break up, it is clear that Ruth did not know her until recently and has decided to take time off from work.

The source said: ‘Ruth was clearly aware that her marriage was crumbling, but as details come to light, her anger has turned to rage.

‘Eamonn’s friend is impressed by his attention and kindness.’

If you are experiencing any of the issues raised in this article, call the Samaritans for free on 116123 or visit: www.samaritans.org.