Fern Britton responds after Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were dropped from This Morning

‘Oh no!’ Fern Britton is left in shock as Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford are dropped from their Friday slot on This Morning

Fern Britton has responded after her friends Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes were dropped from their This Morning slot. 

TV presenters Eamonn and Ruth, both 60, presented This Morning for 14 years on Friday mornings. 

However they were left ‘disappointed and devastated’ after they were dropped, with Alison Hammond, 45, and Dermot O’Leary, 47, taking over the role. 

Responding: Fern Britton has responded after her friends Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes were dropped from their This Morning slot

Fern, who hosted the popular daytime show between 1999 and 2009, took to Twitter after hearing the news and said ‘Oh no?’. 

The presenter, 63, also retweeted: ‘That doesn’t take away from the fact Alison Hammond is a superstar who deserves the world. Overlooked for far too long by ITV, this is her moment.’ 

Eamonn and Ruth will continue to host the ITV show from Monday to Thursday during the schools’ six-week holiday.  

Alison, who first appeared on screen as a contestant in Big Brother, and Dermot, impressed both viewers and ITV bosses when they covered for the main hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield during the summer. 

Dropped: TV presenters Eamonn and Ruth, both 60, presented This Morning for 14 years on Friday mornings

Dropped: TV presenters Eamonn and Ruth, both 60, presented This Morning for 14 years on Friday mornings

Last night, a This Morning source said: ‘Ruth and Eamonn have been part of the show for 14 years and being told they are no longer wanted has been very sad and disappointing for them.  

‘They love it and the viewers love them, but times are changing on the show and they have been the victims.’ 

The couple have been assured that they remain ‘part of the This Morning family’ and will likely be asked to cover when other presenters are on holiday.  

The move is not an entire sur¬prise to them. In recent weeks, Mr Holmes has being telling friends of his fear that he is too ‘pale, stale and male’ for the ITV show.

Stepping in: The married presenters, both 60, are said to be 'angry and upset' as they will now be replaced by Alison and Dermot, who have previously presented the show together

Stepping in: The married presenters, both 60, are said to be ‘angry and upset’ as they will now be replaced by Alison and Dermot, who have previously presented the show together

During a video conference with staff in June, Mr Frizell said: ‘There is not a black presenter on any of the programmes today. 

‘We plan to change that, we [This Morning] are looking into that.’ 

ITV has sought to bring greater diversity to its presenting roster since The Mail on Sunday revealed last October that there had been just one ethic minority presenter during an entire day’s output.

But in August this year, there were eight non-¬white anchors on screen in a single day.

Last night, ITV and representatives for Mr Holmes and Ms Langsford declined to comment.

Shake-up: Eamonn and Ruth have presented every Friday on the show since 2006, and, the couple will now reportedly take over from Holly and Phil during the six week summer period

Shake-up: Eamonn and Ruth have presented every Friday on the show since 2006, and, the couple will now reportedly take over from Holly and Phil during the six week summer period