Eamonn Holmes is set to leave This Morning to take up a new role on rival broadcaster GB News.

The presenter is poised to join the news channel next year, bringing his 15 year stint as host of the ITV show.

The decision comes after he and his wife Ruth Langsford were dropped from their Friday slot in the past few months, with Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond serving as their replacement.

The couple had been presenting the Friday episode of This Morning since 2006, but are not only called in during the school holidays when the main hosts have time off.

Mr Holmes and his wife Ruth Langsford have presented the Friday episode of This Morning since 2006, but were recently dropped from their slot (Photo: Getty Images)

He is now expected to front his own show on GB News several times a week.

One source told the Mirror: “Eamonn’s move to GB News marks the end of an era.

“He’ll be missed by many ITV viewers but, the truth is, this job offer probably came at just the right moment for both him and ITV. All good things come to an end.”

The channel was initially plagued by technical difficulties and has been hit with several big departures since its launch, including its chairman and main presenter Andrew Neil, who quit after two weeks.

Mr Neil said the stress of the programme had brought him “close to a breakdown”.

Current presenters on GB News include former BBC journalist Simon McCoy, ex-Sky host Kirsty Gallacher, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and ITN’s Alistair Stewart.

When the channel launched back in June this year, Mr Holmes said he hoped it would get a “decent chance”.

He said: “We need a shake-up on the news front. I have huge respect for TV news but this is a reminder news is not just Westminster or a constant woke agenda.”

In its short existence, the channel has sparked plenty of controversy since its launch, including the decision to suspend presenter Guto Harri in July after taking the knee during a debate on racism in football.

The row also led to the departures of a director and producer at the channel, with Mr Harri branding it “an absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be.”

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Eamonn Holmes to leave ITV’s This Morning after 15 year stint to join GB News