Eamonn Holmes talked out about his tense two-week journey dealing with an imposter who duped him out of thousands of dollars.
After a four-month hiatus, the 63-year-old broadcaster returned to GB News with co-host Isabel Webster.
During Monday’s episode, the TV personality said that an imposter was ‘using his name’ while partying at a high-end hotel.
‘In Belfast, there may only be one Eamonn Holmes, yet a guy was able to go and live in a hotel using my name for two solid weeks at the top hotel in Belfast,’ he said.
‘No one thought of saying, “you’re not as handsome as Eamonn Holmes, you just couldn’t be Eamonn Holmes but he went and he lived in a central Belfast hotel for two weeks.”‘
Holmes later explained that the con artist ‘stole a lot of money’ out of his account.
‘And then he bought building materials, slabs, concrete, marble fireplaces, all sorts of things,’ he added.
‘At the end of this, the judge said it’s a victimless crime so he wasn’t sent away. The judge basically thought that I should meet up with this guy and reconcile with him, whatever it is, and I basically told him where to stick it.’
He continued: ‘It isn’t a victimless crime. You begin to suspect people around you, people who work for you,, all sorts of things. So you suspect lots of things and there’s the stress about it.
‘I was very lucky in the fact that the bank reimbursed me but the idea that this is victimless is wrong.’
The shocking revelation comes after Holmes declared his comeback to television following back surgery.
After being upfront with his social media followers about his chronic health difficulties, the former This Morning host underwent the surgery in the hopes that it would allow him to live life without continual agony.
Speaking in a video, he began: ‘After nearly four months away off the telly, I’m back tomorrow which sounds like a threat doesn’t it!
‘You may or may not be aware of what happened to me. I had some back surgery because I’ve had disc problems for a year and a half or so and the surgery affected one of my legs, which led to me falling down stairs, and breaking my shoulder.
‘So I had a leg that didn’t work, and a shoulder that didn’t work – and lots of other things in between.’
Reflecting on his recent experiences, the host remarked, ‘I feel like there are only so many box sets I can see or recommend to you!’
‘I’m not better, but I’m better than I was. And I’ve decided to make an attempt to go back to work on GB news from tomorrow. This is on the basis that work, hopefully, will help to heal me.’
Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel airs weekdays from 6am on GB News.
