Early starts again for Holmes at Sky
He quit GMTV saying he was sick of getting up at 4am – but Eamonn Holmes will not be getting any more sleep in his next job.
The 45-year-old is the new host of the Sky News early morning show Sunrise, which starts at 6am.
After leaving his £450,000 (€654,600)-a-year post at GMTV last month, the Belfast-born presenter said he was looking forward to a lie-in.
“I won’t miss the constant fatigue and feeling of jet lag. I’m surprised I’ve lasted as long as I have,” he said at the time.
“I earned a very good living but there’s easier ways of earning money than getting up at 4am.”
But Holmes, who was at GMTV for 12 years, will have to get used to the early starts again when he joins Sky News later this year.
The father-of-four will co-host Sunrise with Sky News presenter Lorna Dunkley from 6am to 9am each weekday as part of the broadcaster’s revamped schedule.
Holmes, who presents BBC1’s National Lottery Jet Set and Hard Spell, and is set to host the theatre version of the TV quiz Who Wants to be a Millionaire? said: “Moving to Sunrise gives me the opportunity to continue saying 'good morning’ to the nation, whilst bringing them the events that set the news agenda.
“I have always admired Sky News as an outstanding news organisation, and am very pleased to be joining it.”
Head of Sky News Nick Pollard said: “This is wonderful news for our channel.
“Eamonn is an outstanding and very experienced journalist who can handle any topic with flair, authority and warmth.
“He is a natural and knowledgeable interviewer. We are delighted that a presenter held in such affection by the British viewing public will be joining our award-winning team.”
