EAMONN Holmes claimed they “took it all” after being “forced” to sell their beloved home, as he slammed HMRC.
The TV presenter had to give up his Northern Ireland property, in the Belmont area of Belfast, after a long-running dispute with HM Revenue and Customs.
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Eamonn Holmes was ‘forced’ to sell a property to pay HMRC £250,000Credit: Getty
After losing two appeals against HMRC, in which the 64-year-old shelled out “hundreds of thousands of pounds” in legal costs, Eamonn was ordered to pay £250,000.
In 2020, the tribunal ruled that he was employed by ITV while presenting This Morning, and not that he was working as a freelancer.
Tax officials have ordered the GB News presenter to pay back decades of national insurance and tax.
The veteran presenter previously claimed he never received sick pay, holiday pay or company shares during his time at ITV.
He told his former UTV colleague Gerry Kelly: “I had a house here until six weeks ago when I was forced to sell it by HMRC.
“It’s something I’m very bitter about because people think you make a lot of money and therefore you have to pay. It’s like everything I’ve ever worked for has been taken away from me.
“People think they’re only looking for the Eamonn Holmes of this world. But it is not. The country is broken.”
Last year, Eamonn revealed that the tax dispute was “the most stressful experience apart from losing my father”.
He believed his anxiety resulted in a case of shingles in 2018, which could have left him blind.
He said then: “I was like a lamb to the slaughter – it was the most stressful, humiliating experience.
“It was terrible to see [the illness]. It looked like someone took a baseball bat to my face and crushed me a little bit.”
An HMRC spokesman said: “We take the welfare of all taxpayers seriously and do everything we can for those who work with us to get their tax affairs in order, including offering affordable payment plans.”
Eamonn previously revealed dreams of returning to Belfast early last year, perhaps to the house he has now been forced to sell.
However, wife Ruth Langsford wasn’t so keen, according to her husband, who spoke to Loose Women’s Kaye Adams on her How To Be 60 podcast.
She asked: “Can you imagine moving to Belfast?”
To which Eammon replied, “Oh, God yes, but Ruth wouldn’t want that, she won’t go, she wouldn’t go.”
The couple currently live in their stunning mansion in Surrey and often give fans a glimpse of the lavish home.
They have shown off their luxurious underpinnings over the years, revealing a fabulous kitchen, which boasts oak cabinetry, white marble worktops and matching tiled floors.
Their huge dining room also makes regular social media appearances over the festive period after being transformed to match the seasonal theme.
Footage of their dedicated workout zone, where Ruth often documents her workout routines, impressed viewers.
The couple also like to cuddle up in their large lounge, which features a working fireplace and a large TV above the fireplace.
There is a large bathroom and a separate laundry room.
Meanwhile, Ruth has her own white armchair with matching footstool where she likes to sit with a cup of tea, and Eamonn has his own office space.
The room has been transformed into a veritable man cave with a huge mural of Manchester United on the wall and framed memorabilia on the walls.
This comes after Eamonn shared an update on his health with fans after being photographed on a scooter last year.
The former host of Jutarnji has been suffering from chronic back pain in recent years.
Unfortunately, he fell down the stairs two weeks after recovering from back surgery last September.
Speaking to his guest Tim Franklin, the former Sky News Sunrise presenter remarked: “I can’t run, I can’t walk, I can’t do anything but watch TV and eat.
“Just last year I had back problems that I haven’t recovered from. It’s not good, it’s not a good recipe, I have to say.
Turning to the panelist, he indicated that he was struggling to build the energy to heal and remarked, “You are a good motivation for all of us.
“What would you say to people out there who just don’t have that motivation?”
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Eamonn has been busy getting his health back on track Credit: Instagram
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Eamonn in his office with a cutout of his wife Ruth Credit: Instagram
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Ruth cooks a festive meal in their large kitchen Credit: Instagram
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Source: HIS Education