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Eamonn Holmes defends sitting close to wife Ruth Langsford on 'This Morning'

Eamonn Holmes and  Ruth Langsford pose for photographers upon arrival at the National Television Awards in London, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford at the National Television Awards in 2016 (Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford were forced to defend themselves after This Morning viewers questioned why they were able to sit so close together despite social distancing rules.

The couple – who were married in 2010 – presented the ITV show together on Friday and were sat fairly close together on the sofa.

Some viewers posted messages on social media querying why the pair were not two metres apart, which is the distance people are supposed to keep amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Read more: Ruth Langsford keeps mum safe with kiss through window

However, the presenters were quick to point out that the rule did not apply to them as people who live together.

Holmes told viewers: “Don’t bother phoning in and saying, ‘Why are these two together?’

“We are together all day, during the house, we live together. In case a lot of you don’t know this, we actually do. We do live together.”

Chuckling, Langsford joked: “Some people think it’s a fake marriage darling, a TV marriage.”

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“A lot of people think, ‘How could she have pulled him?’” Holmes quipped.

“We even share a bed!” Langsford said, as her husband added: “Most of the time, when I don’t fall asleep downstairs on the sofa!”

At another point, Holmes tried to explain that the rules didn’t apply as they live together and were “intimate”, with Langsford laughing and chiming in: “Occasionally!”

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford pose for photographers upon arrival at the Olivier Awards at the Royal Opera House in central London, Sunday, April 12, 2015. The Laurence Olivier Awards are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre and were renamed in honour of the British actor, in 1984. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford at the Olivier Awards in 2015 (Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

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Some viewers had been posting messages on Twitter asking why the pair were so close.

“U both should be 2m apart,” said one, while another said: “Why are Ruth and Eamonn sitting so close together, this beggars belief!!!!”

But others were quick to point out that the presenters were married.

“Seeing @EamonnHolmes and @RuthieeL sat together because they are married and live together makes things look a bit more ‘normal’ at this time when we need to practice social distancing,” said one person.

“It’s lovely to see.”