Eamonn Holmes did not appear on GB News on Monday morning in a presenting shake-up for the show.
The 64-year-old star usually fronts the programme with Isabel Webster, 41, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday, but he wasn’t part of the latest episode to kick off the week.
Rather than the former This Morning host, viewers instead tuned in to see Isabel joined by GB News regular Nana Akua.
There was no explanation given on air for Eamonn’s unexpected absence, with viewers left in the dark.
Instead, stand-in Nana, 53, and Isabel went straight into the morning’s headlines.
Eamonn has since addressed the situation on social media, noting that he’s simply on his summer holidays, adding: ‘See u next week ! (sic)’
Last week, he demanded a guest ‘not lecture him’ as they were embroiled in a fiery debate about the Union Jack flag during the Tuesday’s episode of Breakfast.
He was joined on the show by royal broadcaster and historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo, and anti-racism activist Imarn Ayton in a discussion about whether the flag is divisive.
A village in Norfolk was unsure about flying the Union Jack with fears it could ‘scare people away’, and while Heydel-Mankoo insisted the flag ‘should instil pride in all of us’, his fellow guest wasn’t so sure.
She argued that the flag has ‘associations with the far-right’, arguing: ‘We’ve seen these riots lately, they keep going on about how British they are. I used to think, “racism, lslamophobia, prejudice, bigotry, Union Jack”.
‘Now because of the far-right individuals, I represent Britishness with the Union flag and the far-right.’
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As they came to the end of the segment, Eamonn said: ‘Running a flag outside a village hall in Norfolk, you sort of think, what’s the big deal?’
Ayton wasn’t impressed by his comment, and urged: ‘Be considerate. No, be considerate guys. I know you’ve finished your segment but Eamonn I’m not going to let you finish with that one.
‘Be considerate of other people’s beliefs and views. If you are considerate and sympathetic of everyone and how we perceive the world, you might find yourself leading with equality. Just so you know, I’ll finish it there.’
Jumping in, Eamonn told her that she didn’t ‘have to lecture’ him, and as the pair then started speaking over each other, Ayton said she felt the host had ‘validated’ Heydel-Mankoo’s opinion by letting him speak last.
However, Eamonn said he ‘finished with everyone’, before sharing his opinion on the flag debate.
He explained: ‘I’m trying to say you did not grow up in Northern Ireland, where a flag represented something political and anti to a certain religion in Northern Ireland, I did. I had to live with it.’
‘And just like with black people, you are not black sir and I understand racism more than you,’ she replied.
‘Ahh give me a break,’ her fellow guest could then be heard exclaiming.
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Metro.co.uk has contacted GB News and representatives for Eamonn Holmes for comment.
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